However, the council only agreed to pay $5000 toward the repairs, the remaining funds to be generated through a ‘‘crowd funding’’ campaign.

Earlier this year it was feared the 23-year-old papier mache cow’s days were numbered when a diagnosis was delivered that Daisy’s internal wire framework had rusted away and she was considered ‘‘beyond repair’’.

Plans were even drawn up to spend $10,000 on a recreation of Ernesto Murgo’s 1991 sculpture, which resides at Kiama’s Old Fire Station Art Gallery.

Following an internal examination for rust and a skin biopsy to determine skin thickness and content, it was concluded the original Daisy - which weighs in around 200kg - could be saved.

Kiama council was presented with four quotes from Illawarra fibreglassers which ranged from $3300 to $8975.

Councillors accepted the most expensive quote from Kiama Fibreglassing, as this was deemed the most comprehensive quote and included the reinforcement of Daisy’s legs with the extra-strong fibre Kevlar.

The council’s community services director Clare Rogers said different crowd sourcing platforms were currently being investigated.

Crowd funding raises funds through donations from the general public and the online community.

Ms Rogers said the council had only budgeted $5000 in cultural funds for Daisy’s repairs and as Daisy already had 541 followers on Facebook - and another 738 on Twitter - it was the ideal project for the council to to trial the crowd funding concept.

The council hopes to raise the additional funds by the end of the summer holiday season with Daisy undergoing repairs in the first half of 2015.

Daisy is modelled on Meadowhaven Daisy the 47th, a cow that was part of the Walsh Australian Illawarra Shorthorn herd at Jamberoo.

Daisy is regularly repainted by local artists and community groups to promote various causes.