Mystery as residents find famous Kalgoorlie statue of Aussie pioneer Paddy Hannan was bizarrely beheaded during the night

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The bronze statue of an iconic Australian pioneer was decapitated in a bizarre incident in the Western Australia city of Kalgoorlie overnight. 

Locals were shocked to discover on Thursday morning that the statue of Paddy Hannan - whose 1893 gold strike led to the town's founding - was without a head.

Whoever did it cut the head in a clean line - and also tried to remove its right arm - meaning some planning had probably gone into it and it wasn't just a spontaneous act of vandalism. 

Two paramedics later found the head in a rubbish tip and returned it to Kalgoorlie Town Hall which is located on Hannan St, as is the statue to the man the street is named after. 

City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder mayor John Bowler said he is 'deeply disappointed by this act of vandalism', which is thought to have happened between 11pm and midnight on Wednesday.

The bronze statue of an iconic Australian pioneer was decapitated (pictured) in a bizarre incident in the Western Australia city of Kalgoorlie overnight

'It not only defaces a significant piece of our city's history but also disrespects the memory of Paddy Hannan and the hardworking prospectors who played a vital role in shaping our community,' he said. 

Mr Bowler added that Mr Hannan was 'a key figure in the discovery of gold and an important part of our city's heritage'.

Police Insp Geoff Desanges said the beheading of the statue was a 'heinous' crime.

'This statue is iconic in respect to that it is a mining town and it's a statue of attraction for tourism and it's part of the Kalgoorlie community,' he told the West Australian.

'As for an I'm concerned it's a heinous act. That statue was iconic for that community in Kalgoorlie and surrounds. It's a part of the fabric of that town and the history of it.

'We're hoping to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.'

Mr Bowler also mentioned the historical significance of the statue. 

'We take pride in the presentation of our city and value our beautiful historical streetscapes and monuments,' he said. 

'(And) we work to ensure their historical significance is preserved.'

Though the statue's head has been returned, reattaching it to the rest of the body is likely to be a time consuming and costly exercise. 

The 40-year-old statue, which doubles as a water fountain, is a replica of the original 1929 statue, which is kept in the Town Hall. 

The replica was commissioned in 1983 because of regular vandalism to the original statue.

The 40-year-old statue of Paddy Hannan, which doubles as a water fountain, is pictured before it was decapitated