Vandals paint the word ‘invasion’ on memorial to British explorer John Oxley who journeyed through Australia in the 1800s – after Captain Cook statue was destroyed

A memorial to a British explorer who traveled through Australia in the 19th century has been defaced with red paint and the word ‘Invasion’, amid a wave of Australia Day protests across the country.

Oxley’s Anchor in Tamworth was defaced with paint overnight, while photos on Facebook captured the extent of the graffiti.

The anchor commemorates Lieutenant John Oxley’s route during his exploration of New South Wales in 1818 – marking the spot where he crossed the Peel River to reach the coast, and the site of what is now Port Macquarie.

Oxley’s Anchor in Tamworth was scrawled with paint overnight, with photos on Facebook capturing the extent of the graffiti

It was first unveiled in 1918 on the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Peel Valley in NSW.

The person responsible for damaging the monument has not been identified.

Mark Rodda, councilor at Tamworth Regional Council, said: ‘I will not tolerate vandalism of Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal European heritage and I find this reckless damage at this time appalling and divisive.’

‘This monument marks the route the explorer took on September 2, 1818. The obelisk was unveiled by the Hon. WA Holman, Prime Minister, on September 2, 1918,” he said.

‘The anchor was erected by the former Cockburn Shire on 2 September 1926.’

Vandals filmed themselves sawing off the Captain Cook statue at the ankles (photo)

Workers discovered the felled statue of Captain Cook (photo) the next morning.

Marc Sutherland, another councilor and the first Gomeroi man elected to the council, told Guardian Australia the insult appeared to be made in protest and “frustration” over Australia Day.

It is also not the first time that the monument has been damaged; a similar vandalism took place in 2017.

Lieutenant Oxley is also known for his expedition to Queensland, landing at Redcliffe Point in 1823 with orders to find suitable land for a penal colony in the north.

The protest comes after a statue of Captain Cook was cut down in Melbourne.

Vandals brutally sawed off the legs of the 110-year-old bronze statue in the Catani Gardens and used red spray paint to decorate the statue’s base with the words “The colony must fall.”

The same words were spray-painted and splashed with red paint on a 117-year-old monument to Queen Victoria located in Melbourne’s central Queen Victoria Gardens about 3.30am on Thursday.

While major protests in capital cities have dominated this year’s Australia Day, Bondi Beach was still full with revelers enjoying Sydney’s hot weather.

However, many of the once famous Australian-themed flags, hats and other gimmicks were missing from the crowd.