The gargantuan guardian, a metal sculpture of Marilyn Monroe, will take pride of place in the Rosalind Park piazza for five months while the Bendigo Art Gallery hosts an exhibition dedicated to the screen icon. 

American artist Seward Johnson constructed his mammoth Forever Marilyn statue in 2011 and, after stints in Chicago, Palm Springs and New Jersey, gallery spokesperson Sandra Bruce said this was the first time the sculpture would be seen outside the United States. 

She said Johnson’s creation would be an unmissable reminder of the coming exhibition, for which the first display items arrive next month before opening on March 5.  

Asked whether the film star would look out of place in Bendigo, Ms Bruce was confident in Marilyn’s appeal, citing the success of the gallery’s 2012 Grace Kelly exhibit.

“One thing that Marilyn's got, she's got a broad, worldwide awareness,” she said.

“Why not go all out and bring one of the most famous identities of all time to Bendigo?”

But the statue has not always received a warm welcome on its travels.

American film critic Richard Roeper was scathing in his assessment of Forever Marilyn and the crude behaviour it elicited from passers-by.

“Men (and women) licking Marilyn’s leg, gawking up her skirt, pointing at her giant panties as they leer and laugh,” he said at the time.

Ms Bruce expected similar behaviour from onlookers in Bendigo, but hoped people would be respectful.

“The Australian public has that potential to be larrikin,” she said.

“And really, we don't have a problem with that as long as they don't try to damage it because she's not ours and we do have to give her back at the end of the five months.

“You can't really reach up above her knees anyway, that's how tall she is.”

CCTV will monitor the blonde bombshell, while the gallery had organised for her to be lit up after the sun goes down.

“Public art is 90 percent less likely to be vandalised if it’s lit,” Ms Bruce said. 

“She'll have nice, dramatic lighting on her all night.”

Even though curious onlookers could gaze up the screen siren’s skirt, Ms Bruce said Marilyn’s modesty would remain intact: the statue is wearing underwear.  

“She's wearing what you would call cottontails these days,” she said.  

“It's very true to the time.”

Drivers should expect delays throughout the installation as crates containing the statue’s pieces are transported down View Street.