An outback Queensland town discovered boomerangs really do come back when an artefact stolen from a museum 25 years ago was returned by a guilt-stricken US tourist.
"Peter" from Vermont caved in to his conscience and mailed the boomerang back to Mount Isa - with a cheque anda sheepish apology note.
"It said: 'I removed this back in 1983 when I was younger and dumber'," Mount Isa Mayor Ron McCullough said, reporting the contents of the note.
"'It was the wrong thing to do, I'm sorry, and I'm going to send it back.' It didn't say very much. It was just a confession, and then remorse."
The boomerang was stolen from the now-defunct Frank Aston Underground Museum, which once displayed old mining equipment and Aboriginal artefacts.
Mr McCullough said the parcel was sent to the location of the old museum, now a paper manufacturing plant and community centre, and was then handed to the Mt Isa City Council.
The man was brave enough to put his full name and address on the parcel, but Mr McCullough would only reveal his first name.
"I think putting his name on it was part of his purifying effort, I guess," Mr McCullough said.
"I suspect we will write him a letter and just thank him for returning it and ask him for some information.
"Nobody had any knowledge of it being stolen at all until it arrived back."
Mr McCullough said the boomerang "had a few battle marks" and appeared to be genuine.
"It's quite old ... and made out of gidgee, which was really hard wood in this area," he said.
"We'd like to take it back to the rightful owner, but we've certainly got to check the bona fides."
