It is not known if the damage was caused by high winds or vandals.
The sign became a permanent fixture along the beachfront when the seawall was built in 2013.
Creator Don Neale said in all that time it had fallen over only twice before, once during Cyclone Fehi in 2018 and also in a smaller storm. However, vandals had not been ruled out on the latter occasion, Mr Neale said.
"Same with this one."
Mr Neale’s office looks out over the sign, and he said it was "crazy" just how many people visited each day to take photos.
At least a dozen people turned up to visit and photograph the smashed sign in the short time the Guardian was there yesterday morning.
The driftwood sign first popped up as a feature of the Driftwood and Sand Festival. It was built every January on the beach and usually lasted a few months before the sea washed it away.
However, for the past 13 years it had become more permanent, built into the rocks of the seawall, although it did require maintenance every few days.
However, Mr Neale said a sand bed at least 1m deep needed to be established first.
"It stands in sand better than it does in rocks. It’s a matter of pulling out the rocks and making a good sand bed ... It’s a bit of job."
He said the sculpture would never be permanent as the wood rotted away with time.
However, he planned to rebuild it — again — over the coming days.
He welcomed any help from the community to find a K-shaped piece of driftwood.
"One of the Ks is trashed, which is really hard to find.
"It needs to be about 10-foot [3m] high and just the right shape."
— Janna Sherman
