historical notes on sculptures – landmarks in … · 2013-12-09 · 179352 sculpture –...

179352 Sculpture – Landmarks of Nelson

These notes have been compiled by Jillian Jary, Records Administrator, Information Management, Nelson City Council and are incomplete as at 11 July 2012.

HISTORICAL NOTES ON SCULPTURES – LANDMARKS IN NELSON CITY .

INDEX Sculptures – Art Works Hand - Stoke Library Steel sculpture - Queens Gardens Southern Cross sculpture in Trafalgar Street Queens Gardens Cupid High Flyers - Maitai Walkway Arrival and Beginning - Railway Reserve Seafarers Memorial Abel Tasman Statue Moller Fountain HMS Neptune Memorial War memorial - Queens Gardens War memorial - Church Hill War memorial - Anzac Park Symonds Memorial Gas Lamp Rocks Road Chain Fence Rocks Road Sea Wall Church Steps Miyazu Boulder Sculpture – Nelson Airport Mosaic Sculpture - The Hub Powerhouse Building Mural Elma Turner Library Mural Oamaru Stone Sculptures at Nelson Airport Mosaics in Buxton Car park Dun Mountain Railway Monument – Brook Valley Water Wheel - Queens Gardens Cabbage Trees in Achilles Ave Walkway Monument at Tahunanui Beach Reserve Millers Acre Centre Taha O Te Awa Memorial to Discovery of Nelson Haven Reef Knot – Millers Acre Carpark Normanby Aratuna Bridge Wooden Chair The Dragon – Botanical Hill Battle of Trafalgar – 1903 site Change of Tack – Tahunanui Beach Carpark entrance Bust of Eelco Boswijk


Anchor Stone – Outside Nelson Provincial Museum Early Settlers Statue – Wakefield Quay Navigator – Wakefield Quay Weka Street Pump Station mural Oki-gata Lantern and Zen Gardens – Miyazu Gardens Stone Dogs – Chinese Gardens Un-named sculpture – Wakefield Quay Waharoa – ANZAC Park Pouwhenua – Founders Heritage Park Up the Creek without a Paddle – Saxton Field Nau Mai Ki Toku Ahuru Mowai – Welcome to my safe home, my sheltered haven – Miyazu Park Dance to the Music – Kinzett Terrace Landmarks Botanical Hill Fairfield Park and Cemetery Tahunanui Beach Reserve Haulashore Island Oyster Island Millers Acre Carpark Connolly’s Quay Boulder Bank Lighthouse 1903 site Basin Reserve Rutherford Park Private Art Works Pacific Angel – Nelson Airport Stainless Panels – Nelson Airport Carved Tree Tribute – Nelson Airport Art for Health – Nelson Hospital Food for Thought – Collingwood Street Fresh Choice Supermarket carpark Earth Sky – Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Evolution Whakatu Building artwork – Montgomery Square World of Wearable Art Pacifica Dream – Nayland Road / Quarantine Road building Pomeroy’s mural – Rutherford and Hardy Street building Firestation mural Voicebox – Broadgreen Intermediate Palace mural – Rutherford Street Backpackers Royal Hotel Mural Mosaci Arches and Wall – Broadgreen Intermediate Modigliani’s Trout mural – YHA building Goddess of Flight – Nelson Airport Mosaic in memory of Michael and Jocelyn Allison – Fairfield Park


HISTORICAL NOTES ON SCULPTURES – LANDMARKS IN NELSON CITY .

Hand at Stoke Library Sculptor – Grant Palliser Date installed – December 1996 Titled – Oracle Two piece sculpture of the fingers and thumb of a hand. The hand emerges from the ground in a cradling fashion inspired by advice “never let an opportunity slip through your fingers”. The sculptor describes the piece as a “sheltering hand”, related to the sheltering band of hills surrounding Nelson and represents the artistic hand of many craftspeople in the regions. The sculpture includes several endangered native snails(Powelliphanta) , under threat from forestry in the Nelson region, climbing their way up the underside of the thumb. Their slow progress signified the inability of some creatures to adapt quickly to change. They are representative of hanging on to the good things about Nelson and the things of the past. (Hansen ID 215880)

Steel sculpture at Queens Gardens Sculptor – Dominique de Borrekens and Grant Scott Date installed – June 1998 Titled – Sentinel 3 metre steel sculpture. The base of the nikau palm frond was the inspiration for the work including references to the waka and ships which brought waves of people to New Zealand; evolving into its present form. (Hansen ID 216463)

Southern Cross sculpture in Trafalgar Street Sculptor – Bruce Mitchell Date installed – October 1992 Titled – Southern Cross Stone 7 tonnes of Golden Bay black marble. Loosely based on a natural crystal formation known as the cross stone: it is also linked to the Southern Cross, which helped guide Maori and European to New Zealand. The sculpture has been aligned north-south and east-west to form a rough compass, and to create an x-shaped shadow in the afternoon sun.


(Hansen ID 304706)

Queens Gardens Cupid Sculptor – Johann Earnest Christina Blecher (stonemason) Date installed – c1894 Cupid on his mushroom base. This classically inspired fountain features Priapus, god of beekeepers, gardens, herbs, fishermen, sailors and procreation. He captures the spirit of the formal Victorian layout. Has four decorative lions’ heads at the base of the plinth. Donated to the city by a group of women led by former mayoress Mrs Trask in 1894. The Cupid mould was imported by the stonemason. Cost 12 pound.

Maitai Walkway Sculptor – Grant Palliser Date installed – February 2002 Titled – High Flyers Designed to reflect the energy of the rapids in that particular part of the river. The sculpture’s five moveable poles of high-tensile stainless teel are thin and very shiny, which mean they reflect the tones of their environment. The poles are topped with five aluminium “boulders” which echo the stones in the river. (Hansen ID 296237)

Railway Reserve Sculptor – Mike Hindmarsh Date installed – April 2003 Titled – Arrival and Beginning Consists of two towers of stacked sections of railway sleepers, shaped and joined together with steel poles. It is designed to be admired up close or from a distance. Can be found on the Railway Reserve near Byron Place, Stoke. (Hansen ID 296238)

Seafarers Memorial Sculptor – Grant Palliser Date installed – January 2001 Untitled Commissioned by the Seafarers Memorial Trust as a memorial to


seamen lost at sea. The sculpture is of a distressed mariner pointing towards the horizon while grappling with a heaving ship’s wheel. The sculpture sits on the Sunderland Marine Pier, off Wakefield Quay which has been designed in the shape of a ship’s bridge, with chrome railings, bench seats, four old-style street lanterns, and a concrete floor fashioned to look like ship decking. (Hansen ID 304708)

Abel Tasman Statue Sculptor – Anthony Stones (Britain) Date installed – January 2000 Untitled Life size bronze statue of the 17th century Dutch explorer, Abel Janszoon Tasman. Commissioned by the Abel Tasman Statue Trust, the statue is a gift to the people of the Nelson region from Dutch descendants who have made the Nelson-Tasman region their home. The Dutch explorer’s voyage to New Zealand in 1642 marked the first contact between Europeans and Maori in the Nelson region. The statue is positioned looking out to Tasman Bay.

Moller Fountain Mrs D L Moller gifted an illuminated fountain to be erected in Anzac Park to the city in 1940. Anzac Park was not an acceptable site by the Council and it’s present location in Haven Road was agreed. The fountain was named in memory of Mrs Moller’s husband who was a loved and respected person in Nelson. Mr Moller was a prominent figure in sporting circles and an active supporter of many local organisations.

HMS Neptune Memorial Memorial to four Nelson men, killed in the New Zealand Navy’s worst incident involving loss of life. Don Corbin, Bill Gibbs, Trevor McComish and Lawrie Nalder were killed when the HMS Neptune ran into a minefield on December 19, 1941, off the coast of Libya. 764 Neptune crew members were killed; 150 were New Zealanders with only one survivor.

War memorial at Queens Gardens The Boer War memorial commemorates the lives of Nelsonians who joined the many contingents of Mounted


Rifles which sailed from these shores to uphold the British flag in South Africa and gave their lives during 1899 to 1902.

War memorial at Church Hill At the foot of the Church Hill there is a memorial to Nelson’s sons who fell in the Great War of 1914. Has a complete record been made of the names of the gallant dead in order that their memory may remain as a perpetual source of civic virtue and patriotism and loyalty? “In Honour of the men of the Nelson District who made the supreme sacrifice”

War memorial at Anzac Park The names on the plaques at the Anzac Park Cenotaph were compiled by the Nelson RSA. They only include those who were residents of Nelson prior to enlisting for services and they observe the boundaries of Nelson as they were at that time. Residents of Stoke are listed on the plaque at the reserve up Marsden Valley and on the memorial gates beside the Stoke Hall. Those from Wakapuaka and the Whangamoa area are on the plinth beside the Wakapuaka Hall. The memorial plans were agreed to by the RSA in February 1955 and in 1957 the names of the servicemen who lost their lives during the war were finalised for inclusion on the memorial’s plaques. In 1958, 13 years after the war ended, the memorial was officially recognised. The memorial remained here for 30 years until 18th March 1988, when all 15 tonne of concrete War Memorial was relocated from Halifax Street bridge to Anzac Park. The war memorial used to be part of the old bridge that crossed Saltwater Creek on the port side of the park and consists of three pillars and a central cenotaph. An additional plaque was added to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli to the monument in 1990. An additional plaque was added in 1992, to the monument to commemorate those who gave their lives during the Korean War 1950 – 1953.


Symonds Memorial Gas Lamp The Symonds Memorial was a combined gas lamp and fountain. It was erected in 1880 at the intersection of Hardy and Trafalgar Streets as a cost of approximately 170 pounds by personal friends, as a memorial to Mr John Symonds who had been a leading merchant in the city. It stood 20 feet (6 metres) tall and was placed upon a massive cast iron base. The memorial was destroyed by a gas explosion in July 1906 when a Council workman, Mr William Vercoe, was killed. The full size replica was sponsored by three of the oldest established businesses in Nelson; Nelson Building Society, Nelson Evening Mail and Wilkins and Field; as a Nelson 150th celebration project. The intricate details of the design were drawn from using enlarged photographs of the original and plaster moulds of the gargoyles from Queens Gardens were used as they were almost identical to the originals. The replica included a drinking fountain and electric lighting instead of gas lighting. The replica lamp was damaged prior to the official ceremony on 27 January 1992 when it was hit by a car. The cast iron lamp itself was not broken but electrical and water services attached were damaged. Repairs were able to be made in time for the ceremony which was held on 3rd February 1992.

Rocks Road Chain Fence Date of construction – 1897 to 1899. Architect – unknown for the original fence. 1912-1913 extension were probably under the control of J G Littlejohn, Nelson City engineer. Construction – Cast iron stanchions with two rows of iron chain suspended between. In 1989 the chain fence was classified “B” under Section 35 (1) (b) of the Historic Places Act 1980. There is no formal owner of this fence. Nelson City Council has taken responsibility for its upkeep and repair even though it is on Transit NZ land. In August 1897, John Tinline donated 400 pounds to the Nelson City Council to fix standards and chains along the top of the seawall on Rocks Road. The stanchions for the 1912-1913 extensions were cast by the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Company Limited at Port Nelson. The chains were imported. The chain fence runs for approximately two kilometres from Tahunanui Beach to the Boathouse Hall and were paid for by Thomas Cawthron. The 0.9m tall stanchions are placed 3.2m apart along the raised curbing on the top of the sea wall. The stanchions


are slightly tapered and octagonal in section, topped by an orb from which the top chains are hung. Half way up each stanchion is a similar spherical short square base. Both the upper and lower section of the octagonal shaft have cinctures, top and bottom. The double row of chain is hung evenly between the stanchions each length with a sag of 300mm. The chains have oblong links. The older lengths of chain have iron spikes driven through links at regular intervals. Cast iron was a common material around a port so the fence was in keeping with the maritime image of the area.. Its Victorian detail and length make the fence a valuable example of early street furniture. A major extension was made to the fence in 1913. From time to time the fence has been shortened or realigned along the sea wall. Most recent replacement stanchions are in aluminium cast to the original pattern. The fence is an outstanding streetscape feature of the coastal road. The fence is also a visible reminder of the development and spread of Nelson City towards Tahunanui at the turn of the century and of the industrial base of the port city.

Rocks Road Sea Wall Rocks Road and Wakefield Quay form part of State Highway 6 which runs through Nelson city. A stone seawall was built early last century along the foreshore when the road was originally constructed to support and protect the road and over the years sections have been replaced with reinforced concrete walls by the Nelson City Council. Rocks Road was built largely by prison labour and was officially opened in 1897 by the Prime Minister “King Dick” Seddon. Early photographs of Nelson city taken around 1880 show a stone wall along the edge of the Haven. The original was built from limestone blocks and ran from ANZAC Park to the Tahunanui Beach. Part of this wall still exists alongside the road between the Marine Rescue Centre and the old Power House.

Church Steps Date installed – 1913 Architect/Engineer/Designer – Arthur Reynolds Griffin (1884 – 1967) Cost – 1887 pounds The material used throughout the structure was granite quarried from Tonga Bay, now part of Abel Tasman National Park. Originally the landings were to be of asphalt but these were changed to granite at an extra cost of three hundred and fifty pounds. The Church Steps are a bold ornamental statement comprising six flights rising 11.5m from Trafalgar Street to a path encircling the Cathedral. The first flight sweeps from pillars at the base, tapering to the first landing. Two double flights then rise with balconies between them. From there three single flights, six metres wide, rise to the top of the structure. The cream coloured granite of the


steps and landings is neatly cut and laid without mortar. Running up the sides of each flight are 0.6 metre high walls with pillars at each landing and a coping course on top of each wall. The granite of the walls is rusticated with mortar joints. The 1.5m high pillars are square in plan and each face has a pediment continuing a partial trefoil design. The pillars stand at each corner of every flight of steps. Each pillar has a metal leaf form moulding at its apex. Two original garden plots no longer exist. Six of the pillars were originally fitted with gas lamp standards. These were removed and three electric lampstands installed in the centre of the steps sometime prior to 1941. For the Nelson Centennial celebrations in 1942 the plaque, (which reads “These steps were presented to the city by Thomas Cawthron Esq A.D. 1913”) on the face of the first landing was moved to the face of the second landing, and the lower balcony was extended forward, enveloping the garden plot and necessitating the removal of two pillars. The second garden plot has also been replaced by concrete. The extended balcony, finished in granite to match the side walls, bears a marble relief plaque depicting early settlers and an inscription noting that the hill was dedicated to the memory of the early settlers on 1 February 1942, one hundred years after the founding of Nelson. The site was of significance to Maori settlers, a pa existing on top of Pikimai, Church Hill , before the Eurpoean colonists arrived. The first wooden steps were built in 1858 but complaints about their safety in 1905 prompted plans for their replacement. In May 1912, Thomas Cawthron (1933-1915) offered to present a new set of granite steps to the city. These steps are just one of several valuable contributions Cawthorn made to the people of Nelson.

Miyazu Boulder Sculpture Sculptor – Date installed – June 1999 Titled This sculpture was gifted to Nelson by the city of Miyazu in 1996, and has been installed in the welcome garden at Nelson’s airport. A plaque on the monument’s base reads: “To celebrate the twenty years since Nelson and Miyazu became Sister Cities we present this monument to Nelson city. With this monument, we vow our eternal friendship, which contributes to world peace, under the blessing of the sun and on the earth. Commissioned to mark the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship with Miyazu in Japan.


7th May 1996. Mayor of Miyazu – Toshio Tokuda Chairperson of Miyazu-New Zealand Association – Atsumi Maruyama.”

Mosaic Sculpture at The Hub Artist – Valeska Campion Installed - 1999 The Hub is a community centre for young people. Consisting of a heart and star mosaic; the side panels of individually crafted ceramic tiles were created as a community arts project, involving Nelson schoolchildren and sponsor companies. Information has been requested from the artist on her creative thinking behind the mosaic.

Mural on Powerhouse Building Artist – Christopher John Finlayson Assisted by Jeff Lines Date completed – September 1984 Restored – November 2009 Titled – Aotearoa An employment opportunity between Nelson Provinical Arts Council, Labour Department and Nelson City Council resulted in this mural project being undertaken and painted on the old electricity facility building commonly known as the Powerhouse. The mural represents a window into a world of challenging perception. Within the composition are obvious local scenery, window structure and clouds. These are set into “a carved timber panel”. The arrangement of such familiarity is bewildered by clouds moving through the partially open window and one that floats over the carved frame. The mural window is imbedded into “carved timber”. The pattern at the top reflects a tuku tuku design found in marae hui whare (meeting house) which interprets as ‘stairway to heaven’. The motif is also found in Celtic art forms, similar patterns identified with African tribes of the ivory coast and Middle Eastern mosques. The connecting point is that arts culture is global and differences or similarities meet, beyond ones own value is a bigger picture, evolving a shift in ones perceptions will gain insight and a wider view. A partially open window and drifting clouds present a situation that is oddly tranquil yet uncertain in its movement between two realms, the painted and the viewers own cognitive sense of place in the moment.


Bi-cultural nuance, land of the long white cloud, outlook, inlook window on life are visual interpretations on closer inspection. Most people who see the mural for the first time are drawn into a brief moment of surprise of ‘what’s real’ then it’s gone with rationalising the image and it’s clever place in their environment. The distinctive open window has become an iconic and much photographed Nelson image, capturing the scenery and beautiful climate of our region. However, the very same climate and exposure has seen the exterior suffer deterioration, so the mural has been stripped right back to the bare concrete wall and repainted over the past two months.

The complete repaint by the original artist and a small band of volunteers will ensure the artwork can be enjoyed for many more years.

A plaque commemorating the mural and the heritage building it is on will be unveiled. The Power House once housed the city’s steam powered electricity generator from 1922. The building now houses Plant & Food Research who has generously supported the mural restoration.

Mural at Elma Turner Library Artist – Christopher John Finlayson Date completed – February 1990 Titled – This mural is based on rock carvings, from Palaeolithic art in 25,000BC to Egyptian hieroglyphics (1350BC), Celtic verse (800AD), to Aboriginal and Maori art. The artist had to compromise a little and include some writing in the work, including the Maori word matauranga (knowledge).

Mosaics in Buxton Car park Artist: Tejas Arn Date: 2004 The Mosaics represent the primary produce in the Nelson Region


Dun Mountain Railway Monument

Located up the Brook valley.

New Zealand’s first railway, The Port Nelson- Dun Mountain Railway was opened on the 3rd of February 1862.

Water wheel in Queens Gardens Sculptor – Donated by Nelson Rotary Club Date installed – February 2005 Untitled The water wheel was a centenary project of the Nelson Rotary Club. The wheel was chosen as it is the emblem for Rotary International. The wheel is 2 meters high and made from 50,000 year old kauri from Dargaville. The wheel demonstrates the continual circulation of the effect of Rotary International throughout the world…providing the energy keeps rolling – in this case the water – it never stops producing the goods. The water that turns the wheel is diverted via a 15 metre long flume. The flume carries the water to the top of the wheel and in theory it should run until the steam dries up. The source of the water is from the Brook Stream via a man made stream within the gardens. (Hansen ID 348692)

Cabbage Trees in Achilles Ave walkway Sculptor – Jeff Thomson Date installed – April 2005 Untitled Mature cabbage trees (ti rakau). Trunks of the trees have the corrugations curved horizontally. The leaves have been cut to emphasize the corrugations in profile with others made with corrugations running lengthways..The cabbage tree was important to Maori and its leaves were used by the guide Kehu to make sandals in the epic exploration he made with Brunner of the Buller River. (Hansen ID 306025)

Monument at Tahuna beach reserve


This monument was erected in 1918 to remember Charles Yates Fell. “1844 Erected by the 1918 citizens of Nelson, to perpetuate the memory of Charles Yates Fell an ardent patriot and public spirited citizen”

Millers Acre Centre Taha O Te Awa

Carvings and concrete panels on H-section poles Artist – Tim Wraight Glass Artist – Jim McKay (casting the leadlight glass inserts) Date Installed – July 2005 The wood panels which are inset into the h-section poles are carved from Totara wood from the hills above Motueka. They are arranged in pairs, with one side depicting a stylised design of native flora. The other side depicts a corresponding native fauna species. Underneath the wood panel is a cast lead crystal glass insert which has been carved with the same design as the corresponding wood panel. At the base of each pole is a cast concrete panel. The aggregate (gravel) in each pair of panels is taken from a different major regional river, and corresponds with the wood panels on that pole. This gives a true regionality to each pole and to the work as a whole. The traditional Maori kowhaiwhai designs on the poles adjacent to the main entrance are ordered in the same fashion. Motueka Gravel Riwaka Gravel – Matai and Fantail Kawatiri Gravel – Beech and Kaka Maitai Gravel – Seaweed and Mangopare (Hammerhead) Waimea Gravel – Nelson City Kowhaiwhai design – Patiki (Flounder) Takaka Gravel – Totara and Powelliphawia Aorere Gravel – Rata and Insects

Seats at the entrance Artists – John Shaw and Mike Hindmarsh Date Installed – July 2005 A concrete base represents the strong form of the Boulder Bank and the shape of the seats, resemble an aircraft wing or a boat, symbolising people arriving to Nelson. The top of the concrete has been polished to reveal small pebbles. The individual slats are shaped from Australian blue gum and will eventually fade to grey-brown. There are 100 slats in both seats and only four are the same.

Wall sculpture – “Vessel” Artist – Gavin Hitchings Date Installed – July 2005


“Vessel” is used here as a metaphor which encapsulates, throught the passage of time, some of the characteristics of the Wakatu / Nelson region. Nelson is recognised as an important maritime centre within NZ, so it is appropriate to employ this particular form to carry such information. The sculpture may be seen as an abstract and de-constructed maritime “vessel”, with its exposed ribs, fallen spars and sail or centre-board. Sailing ship or Waka? A symbolic response to the significance of Nelson Haven, taha o te awa. Trading, war parties, colonisers all form part of the history of Nelson and acknowledgement is made within this work. The sculpture is four metres long. (Hansen ID 348688, 348689, 348690 & 348687)

Memorial to Discovery of Nelson Haven Opposite the end of Fountain Place, there is a memorial cairn to Captain FC Moore, D Brown, J S Cross, McDonald and Pito who landed here on 20th October 1841 having discovered Nelson Haven. (photos #823027 & 823026)

Reef Knot Sculptor – Grant Palliser Date installed – October 2005 Titled – Reef Knot Commissioned in conjunction with the Trafalgar 200 celebrations, the sculpture is erected on the corner of the Maitai Walkway and Trafalgar Street Bridge. The sculpture, a 2m steel reef knot, is an open design, so as not to block the wonderful Maitai River vista, or any of the architectural features of the Millers Acre Centre, Taha o te Awa. The reef knot is familiar to all, even to those who might not have a nautical bent. The two strands of the easily recognised maritime knot have several references. One strand will be grounded, representing Nelson’s history, and one strand free, representing our future. The two strands refer to our historical links with Britain and the influences that brought about our city’s names, coupled with the independence that we now value. (Hansen ID 310583)

Normanby Aratuna Bridge The Normanby Bridge, which served Nelson for 130 years, was completely replaced in 2008. It is assumed that the Normanby Bridge, built in 1877 to replace an earlier


footbridge over the Maitai, was named after Lord Normanby, New Zealand’s Governor General from 1875-1879. No official naming record can be found, but it was possibly Normanby who resolved the “matter of funds”. A City council meeting, reported in The Colonist in July 1877, reveals that the bridge had been gifted from the Provinical Council, yet the approaches were not formed and the funds had run out. A claim was made to government for more money on the basis that without the approaches the bridge “would stand a monument of folly”. “Money should certainly be found to complete all works, and the Government ought not to commence their reign by a piece of paltry cheeseparing, for economy it cannot be called.” The old bridge had deterioriated beyond repair. It had a 3 ½ tonne weight limit and a 30 kph speed limit. The structure and foundations also had very little seismic capacity. The new bridge features a vehicle land, cycle lane and footpath in each direction. The pathway under the bridge has also been improved by widening and the addition of lighting. The abutments have been adorned with art work reflecting the significance of the area to iwi. This was also reinforced by the addition of Aratuna to the name of the bridge. Aratuna means pathway of the eels (tuna) and recognises that the Maitai River, and the Eel pond which now sits in the Queen’s Garden, were traditional fishing grounds for Nelson’s first residents. Eels were an important source of food and eels can still be found in the river today. The top rails of the handrail is etched with the story of the bridge. (Hansen ID 348682)

Wooden Chair Sculptor – Chris Rendell Date installed – 2000 Made by the sculptor as part of the Mac’s Sculpture Symposium in 2000. The macrocarpa was from a tree felled on the Botanical Hill as part of the revegetation with natives. (Hansen ID 348672)

The Dragon This unusually shaped macrocarpa tree root, which was known as a “troll” or a ‘taniwha’ and then adopted by the Chinese community of Nelson because of the resemblance to a dragon – a symbol of good luck. An article was published in the Nelson Mail on 16/2/1992 about it’s discovery and the controversial removal.


Battle of Trafalgar Sculptor – Bruce Mitchell Three dimensional sculpture in stone at 1903 site. (Hansen ID 331002)

Change of Tack – Sails Sculpture Sculptor – Michael MacMillan Date Installed - 2008 Located at the entrance to Tahunanui Beach carpark are two sails that stand 3.6 meters high. These sculptures are polished aggregate, stainless steel and resin detail and were commissioned by Cliff and Ann Nighy who very generously donated three pieces of art to the city for everyone to enjoy. (Hansen ID 342746)

Bust of Eelco Boswijk Sculptor – Siene de Vries An application from the ‘Friends of Eelco Boswijk’ was received in 2008 requesting that the Council accepts a bronze bust of Eelco Boswijk in recognition of Eelco’s ‘tremendous social and cultural contribution’. Eelco Boswijk has made a significant contribution to the arts in Nelson in many ways over a number of years. He is a ‘Nelson identity’ and recognising him in this way adds to the interest of the City, particularly to the precinct in Upper Trafalgar Street adjacent to where his coffee


house used to be. The former “Chez Eelco” café (now House of Ales) was established in 1961 and is reputed to be the oldest café in New Zealand, and was an institution for many Nelsonians. The sculpture was modelled in clay and then cast in bronze at Artworks in Auckland. (Hansen ID 348678)

Anchor Stone Date Installed - 2005 Found outside the Nelson Provincial Museum. The stone is argillite (pakohe) quarried by early Maori in the Maitai Valley. The markings on the stone show it was used to anchor waka close to shore. It was found in the Maitai in the 1970s. The museum, Pupuri Taonga O Te Tai A Ao, is on the same Town Acre 445 block as the original museum in 1872. (Hansen ID 348677)

Early Settlers Statue Sculptor – Anthony Stones Date Installed – 2005 This bronze statue shows a family arriving on Wakefield Quay in 1842. It was commissioned in conjunction with the beautification work along the waterfront. (Hansen ID 330873)

Navigator – Wooden Sculpture Sculptor – Tim Wraight Date Installed – 2008 A totara carved pole located by the settlers memorial wall on Wakefield Quay. The second of three art pieces generously donated to the city for everyone to enjoy by Cliff and Ann Nighy. (Hansen ID 342745)

Weka Street Pump Station Mural Mural painted on the Weka Street pump station. Details unknown.


Oki-gata Lantern and Zen Gardens – Miyazu Gardens Opened in 1995 to recognise and celebrate our sister city relations with Miyazu, in Japan. The garden is designed to honour cultural and natural elements of Japanese life creating a place with significant meaning for the people of Nelson and visitors alike. Lanterns of various styles, origins and significance are found about the garden. Of note is the large stone yukimi-gata style lantern at the garden gateway, and the oki-gata ‘lighthouse’ on the ‘boulder bank’.

Stone Dogs – Chinese Gardens Found in the Chinese Gardens within Queen’s Gardens there are some stone sculptures of dogs.

Un-named sculpture – Wakefield Quay Sculpture – Jim Mackay Date Installed - 2008 The third piece of art generously donated to the city for everyone to enjoy by Cliff and Anny Nighy. The sculpture used an unusual material called Conten Steel for this piece due to its scale and need for durability. No other information is known about the art work. This sculpture was originally situated outside the Suter Art Gallery and has been moved to Wakefield Quay.

Waharoa (gateway) – ANZAC Park Carver – Mark Davis Architect/Engineer – Gion Deplaze Date Installed – September 2011 This monument of remembrance is in honour of the members of the 28th Maori Battalion who have passed away and enlisted in or have whakapapa to Te Tau Ihu.


The carved section was completed by Mark Davis, tohunga whakairoa ki Whakatu based at Whakatu Marae. The Pou or uprights are concrete and have the Kowhaiwhai pattern of the six iwi that make up the Whakatu marae. The maihi or top panels include representations of Rongo ma tane (the god of peace) on one side and Tu Matauenga (the god of war) on the other side. The Tekoteko or apex centre piece represent the tri services emblems; New Zealand Army, Navy and Airforce. The pillars are stamped concrete with either a granite or pakohe (argillite) tablet inserted. These pillars will have the names of the members of the 28th Maori Battalion who have passed.

Pouwhenua – Founders Heritage Park Nga Iwi o Te Waipounamu Kaiwhākairo Matua Mark Davis was commissioned by Nelson City Council to carve this Pou Whenua. This beautiful carving has been done on a Matai Tree, retaining part of its natural form. This trunk has been in guardianship of Whataku Marae after it fell in the Nelson windstorm of 2008. Kaiwhākairo Matua Mark Davis was commissioned by Nelson City Council to carve this Pou Whenua. This beautiful trunk of a Nelson City mighty Totora tree, was in guardianship of Whataku Marae after it fell in the Nelson windstorm of 2008. The Marae was pleased to have this heritage timber used for a project that can now be enjoyed by all. This Pou Whenua was unveiled on 19th April 2011 at a dawn blessing. ** also E kore au Ngaro he


Up the Creek without a Paddle Sculptor – Fiona Sutherland Date Installed – 2012 Located at the edge of the spillway pond of Orphanage Creek near Saxton Field. Fiona has referenced the site in a number of ways, saying “the two lost boys could be from St Mary’s Orphanage, (after which the creek is named) or boys from today, as their sports tee shirts feature numbers on their back. The two numbers added make the total of 1986, which is the year when Saxton Field became a sports ground. The collection of wildlife in the boat includes the white faced heron, mallard duck and inaga fish, all of which are found in the area. Made of darjit, a paper pulp material, mixed with sand and cement over a metal armature and is very durable. To ensure that the art work is well clear of any flood waters, the artist has the boat marooned in the air as if after a flood. A pile protrudes two metres above normal water level, with stainless steel flax leaves curling up under the hull of the boat.

Nau Mai Ki Toku Ahuru Mowai – Welcome to my safe home, my sheltered haven (He wahi e tau ana te wairua pai, e marino ana, e kore e taea e te kino Artist / Sculptor – Juan Jose Novella (Spain) Date Installed – June 2012 Located at the corner of QEII Drive and Atawhai Drive in Miyazu Park, the piece alludes to Nelson’s strong relationship with the sea. Inspired by marine plant formations (such as kelp seaweed and mussel shells), the sculpture’s curved shape is orientated east/west and as the sun moves overhead, fascinating shadows will be cast, ever moving like the tide that ebbs and flows, and fish that dance in the shallows. A sense of sheltering represents the curving, partially enclosed shape, suggesting inclusion and welcome as well as a haven to come to.


The piece’s intricate cut out design creates a delicate looking shell, even though the carbon steel is 25mm thick, and offers an alternate view of the world beyond through its network. A Mauri stone from the Boulder Bank has been blessed and placed on the site, connecting it with the local area. The artwork was shipped from Spain in sections and it was welded and shaped in Reliance Engineering’s workshop under the supervision of Novella.

Dance to the Music of Time Sculptor – Terry Stringer Date Installed – to be installed Kinzett Terrace

LANDMARKS Botanical Hill The Botancial Hill Reserve was created by Crown Grant to the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson in April 1857 under the Public Reserves Act of 1854. The 21 acre reserve was to be set aside as the site for a botanic garden.


More land was added to the reserve in later years including part of the Easterfield Arboretum. All the land along with the adjoining Branford Park is now managed as one park. The area comprises the wooded hillside at the entrance to the Maitai Valley, the open river flats of Branford Park and the banks of the Maitai River from the upper Nile Street Bridge to Dennes Hole. The flat area at the foot of the hill was the site of New Zealand’s first rugby union match in May 1870 when the newly formed Nelson club played Nelson College. This area of the reserve is still used as a sportground. The hillsides are well vegetated with a wide range of exotic and native trees and shrubs. A series of paths cross and re-cross as they zig zag up the hill to the summit at 147m above sea level. The Kauri Track passes a young Kauri, and branching left here you can see an old wishing well put there by the Fern Society in the 1920’s. On the summit a trig plaque from the 1877 survey is said to mark the geographical centre of New Zealand, but is in fact the origin of surveys in the Nelson district. From the summit a view is enjoyed over the City to the Songer Tree on the Port Hills and beyond over Tasman Bay to the Arthur Range and Tasman mountains. Native trees on the hill are kauri, rimu, matipo, rewa rewa, ake ake, mahoe and rangiora. In 1996, a viewing deck was added during a general upgrade. This was a Nelson West Rotary project. An unusually shaped macrocarpa tree root which was known as a “troll” or a “taniwha” has been adopted by the Chinese community of Nelson because of its resemblance to a “dragon”, one of the mythical creatures which symbolises luck in Chinese lore. To the untrained eye, it’s nothing more remarkable than an odd-shaped piece of wood but to local Chinese people it’s a symbol of good fortune.

Fairfield Park and Cemetery In 1842 six acres between Brougham Street, Trafalgar Street south and Van Dieman Street were set aside as reserve for military stations. This land is now a wooded parkland containing two historic homesteads – Melrose House and Fairfield House. The western side of the park features an attractive camellia garden, set amidst some magnificent remnant beech trees. Headstones and wrought iron surrounds are evidence of the graves of some of the early European settlers. The street naming committee of the day christened the area “Copenhagen Mount after one of Nelson’s battles.


Around September 1851, the Government apparently decided that this area would make a more suitable cemetery than Hallowell. It eventually became known as the Old Trafalgar Street Cemetery, or more simply, the Old Cemetery. 3 roods of area were set aside for Roman Catholic burials. Separate sections, comprising of 2 acres 1 rood, were set aside for Church of England burials and a general public cemetery for the burial of persons of all classes and denominations without the imposition of any sectarian creed. The trustees for this area, apart from Major Richmond, were all believed to be local Protestant ministers. There is no burial register however work of members of the Genealogical Society have established that for the period 1851 to 1901 inclusive, there is some form of record of burial and/or headstone at the cemetery for at least 185 people. In addition to this there are memorials for two people who died in 1847 and 1849 respectively, and for a number of people who have died subsequently. Quite a number of tombstones still remain. The following is a cross-section of some of the more interesting tombstones.

Rev. Charles Sarda He died at the Catholic Station at Nelson on 22 October 1867 aged 28 years. On his way from missionary work among the Maori in Auckland to taking up new work in Akaroa, he developed rapid consumption. Father Garin described his as the first “natural death” of a Roman Catholic priest in New Zealand, as all earlier deaths had been from drowning.

Otterson Family Plot Francis Otterson, one of those buried in the family plot, arrived on the Lord Auckland in 1842, and initially set up a business on Auckland Point before moving into the town centre. He was also one of the first to begin farming, a member of the first Provincial council and a leading member of the Roman Catholic community. In October 1854, he was drowned crossing the Wairau River.

Robert Shallcrass Robert Shallcrass was a Wesleyan who died on 27 May 1888. A police sergeant from 1861, he was appointed Inspector of Police in 1866 following his contribution to the clearing up of the Maungatapu murders. From 1869 to 1874 he was chief Inspector of the Nelson and south West Goldfields Police Force. From 1874 to 1883 he was the gaoler at Nelson. He resigned shortly after an incident in which a prisoner convicted of manslaughter stabbed to death a warder named Adams. Shallcrass spent fifty minutes talking to the murderer, who held the gaoler off at gunpoint before eventually shooting himself.


Thomas Blick A master weaver from Gloucestershire, Thomas Blick died on 28 November 1860. He was the first person to manufacture cloth in New Zealand and owned New Zealand’s first woollen mill. He was a foundation member of Nelson’s Baptist Church, the first Baptist Church to be built in New Zealand.

Samuel Stephens A group of stones with a worn inscription commemorates Samuel Stephens, who died on 26 June 1855. Stephens left England in 1841 with the preliminary expedition to Nelson. He was initially first assistant the chief surveyor. In 1844 he became chief surveyor shortly before the collapse of the NZ Company. Later he farmed in Riwaka. At the time of his death, Stephen not only represented Motueka on the Nelson Provincial Council but also was the member for Nelson in the House of Representatives. In late 1861, a new cemetery was opened at Wakapuaka. Under sections 22 and 23 of the Public Cemeteries Act 1859, it was anacted that from a day to fixed by the province’s superintendent, no further burials should be permitted in reserves D (Old Cemetery) except where a child, parent, husband, wife, brother or sister of the person to be buried had already been buried in the relevant reserve prior to that day fixed by the superintendent. The superintendent fixed 25 November 1861 as the day in question. In 1883, under section 45 of the Cemeteries Act 1882, the control and management of the 2 acres 1 rood of public cemetery (Old Cemetery) and the new cemetery at Wakapuaka were transferred from their old trustees – M Richmond, J R Dodson, C E Bunny, C Grieg, W Haddow, R Levien and S B White – to the Mayor, Councillors and Burgesses of the City of Nelson. From 1 January 1910 the whole cemetery was completely closed for burials and vested in the Nelson City Council. Over the years there have been some disputes about its use. In 1928, the Nelson Croquet Club asked to be allowed to use part of the cemetery as a croquet lawn. Presumably they were unsuccessful, as two years later the Council vetoed a proposal to provide three croquet lawns there. The following year, the City Engineer was asked to report on the possibility of turning the cemetery into a playground as a “Relief of Unemployment work”. Council approved the temporary fencing off of the north-west area of the cemetery for this purpose and the planting of a hedge along the fence. It appears that somebody subsequently complained to the Council that this use of the cemetery was contrary to Section 78 of the Cemeteries Act 1908, and the Council sought a legal opinion on the matter. In consequence of this, they investigated the possibility of obtaining local legislation to change the purpose of the reserve and thus legalise the playground. In March 1935, the matter was deferred and the possibility of legislation does not appear to have received further consideration. Today there is a formal playground at the park.


Much greater heat seems to have been generated by the revival in 1933 of the proposal to construct croquet lawns at the cemetery. This would now also have involved creating a new children’s playground. A petition was organised against the proposal, which like the playground was also apparently seen as an unemployment scheme and the Nelson Croquet Club eventually withdrew their application to use the area. In 1955, the possibility of using the north-west corner for a women’s bowling green was mooted. This drew a protest from the 1934 Trafalgar Street Cemetery Petition Committee. But this venerable body had an easy task as the Council had already itself arrived at the conclusion that the cemetery was an unsuitable site for a bowling green. In the 1970’s, an open air stage was formed in the north-west corner of the cemetery. In 1963, the City Council renamed the cemetery Fairfield Park, a name suggested by the Nelson Historical Society.

Tahunanui Beach Reserve The area was bequeathed to the City Council in 1909. A lot of the beach and sand dunes have built up since that time and the whole beach landscape is geologically very young and dynamic. The sand spit between the Blind Channel and Tahuna Beach has grown considerably in the last 100 years. It protects the beach from Tasman Bay forming a shallow safe beach; ideal for family recreation. The Blind Channel has been steadily eroding its way to the east over the last century, trying to make its way back into the original river channel that flowed out into the bay at the far end of the beach by Kentucy Fried Chicken and Rocks Road. This was the discharge point for the Waimea River at the time of early European settlement. The average rate of channel erosion has been calculated at moving Eastwards at three (3) metres a year. A sand spit and dunes used to protect the Tahuna Motor Camp (one of the largest motor camps in the Southern Hemisphere) but this has now been eroded away, exposing the camp shores to tidal forces. The motor camp was established in 1937 on sand dunes which had formed after the Waimea River channel switched back to the eastern end of Rabbit Island during a major flood event in the 1870’s. These dunes, and the development of them, are now threatened by the relentless eastward migration of the channel. Bolton Hole which for decades was a deep and fruitful fishing spot is now said to be completely full of sand.


Over the last 650 years Tahunanui Beach has moved North at a rate of 0.3 metres a year, although in recent years erosion of the front beach has temporarily negated this growth. Nelson Airport and much of the Tahunanui township has been built up on sand dunes that have been bulldozed flat.

Haulashore Island Haulashore Island only became a real island when it was cut off from the 12 kilometre long boulder bank in 1906 when engineers completed the “Cut” to provide a safe entry to Nelson Haven. Prior to this Haulashore was only an island during high tides. Haulashore was given that name as that is where early settlers beached their boats for cleaning and repairs. The island was partly privately owned and lived on up until 1925 when the Moncrieff family donated their land to the City. There are both Maori and European archaeological sites on the island. There is a dwarf South Island Kowhai growing on Haulashore Island which appears to be specific to Haulashore Island. There is now a thriving colony of Pied Shags (Phalacrocorax varius) nesting in the pines on the island. The birds were encouraged to move here in the early 1990’s using painted decoys fixed into the top of the pines. The birds had been developing a colony in the Norfolk Pines on Rocks Road, however the noise and smell from their nests and chicks did not fit well with the neighbourhood and they were encouraged to relocate. It is unusual for shags to nest so close to human habitation. Fifeshire Rock guards the southern entrance to Nelson Haven and saw many foundings of ships before the cut was completed. The barque “Fifeshire”, an early immigrant ship, was wrecked here in 1842. The rock was also called “Arrow Rock” after the first immigrant ship to sail into Nelson Haven in 1841. The Boulder Bank is a rare natural feature formed by the tidal movement (longshore drift) of hard granodiorite boulders (135 million year old rock) from the sea cliffs at Mackay Bluff north of Glenduan. It forms a natural breakwater for Nelson Haven, but is NOT man made.

Oyster Island Oyster Island (400 metres off the Monaco Peninsula) is one of several sand dune formation islands in the estuary. It is just under 4.5 hectares in area. The island is eroding on the northern side where it is exposed to the channel currents and waves and wind off Tasman Bay. The island reserve was transferred to Nelson City Council from Waimea County Council in 1989 when the boundaries were redefined under the Local Government Act. The County had bought the island from private ownership in 1983


to protect its recreational values. This move was prompted by the formation of the Oyster Island Preservation Society which formed in the early 1980’s from fear that the island may be bought and developed by foreign commercial interests. The pines were planted during the 1930’s depression and logged in the 1960’s. The present pines have grown from seed. There are significant pre European archaeological sites on the island as the island would have been used by Maori as a base for fishing in the estuary. There is evidence of middens, fishing camps, and argillite tool making.

Millers Acre Carpark On 11 August 1936, Council considered a motion to secure an option over Lots 1, ,3 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of Section 234. In April 1937 the Council resolved to raise a loan of ₤7,250 “for the purchase of land for Municipal Buildings” with a poll to be conducted in respect of the loan on 6 May 1937. The result of the poll was 1030 in favour and 729 against the proposal. The land was situated in the principal street, Trafalgar Street, adjacent to the Post Office and was the only unoccupied land in that street, in fact, it was one of the few remaining building sections in the business area of the city and probably the only one at all suitable for Municipal Buildings. The Council realized that in the near future, provision must be made for adequate accommodation of its administrative staff and was of the opinion that before many years have lapsed a demand may be made by the ratepayers for the erection of a Town Hall. Although these matters had not yet been considered by Council, it seemed reasonable that Council should take the opportunity now being offered to secure a section of land which will make possible in the future the erection of buildings which may be necessary. The Council made it clear that it could not commit itself at this stage to the erection of any building but merely desires to give ratepayers an opportunity of making the proposed provision for possible future needs. In July 1937, following the purchase of the land, Council resolved “that until such time as buildings are erected on the property, the site be used as a park for motor cars” and subsequently in November 1937, Council resolved “that Millers Section be declared a public area for the parking of motor vehicles”. There is no further mention of using the land for Municipal Buildings. The land is fee simple, not restricted by any trusts or covenants. In August 2000 following interest expressed in the use and development of the site, Council resolved that “no part of Millers Acre is available for sale and a concept plan for a city tourist information services centre and possible complementary public facilities be explored”. In February 2001, Council resolved “to subdivide and lease an area of land in Millers Acre for a new Visitor Information Centre subject to Council approval of the final design and area required. Background to this decision commences with the Nelson Inner City Enhancement Study Design Report which was presented to Council in


November 1999 which identified many inadequacies of the existing Visitor Centre and identified the area between the Maitai Bridge and Halifax Street as the city “gateway”. This report recommended closure of part of Ajax Avenue and the development of a riverside park with a new Visitor Centre located at the corner of Halifax and Trafalgar Street.

Connolly’s Quay This fishing platform was built off Rocks Road, opposite Haulashore Island in May 1992. The amenity has proved very popular with children through to retired people. Large numbers of people can be seen fishing from it at a time and it is also used as a rest area to sit and contemplate the view. People make use of the platform rather then fish from the footpath as was the practice in the past. Councillor Roy Connolly lobbied for five years to get the platform built but did not know about the decision to name the platform in his honour until the unveiling on 24 June 1992. Councillor Connolly is a very keen fisherman.

Boulder Bank Lighthouse The lighthouse stands as a monument to early marine navigation to New Zealand. It has guided vessels around the hazardous bank and into Port Nelson since 1862, making it the second oldest lighthouse in New Zealand. Built of cast iron in Bath, England, the lighthouse was shipped out to New Zealand in sections. It was operated by two keepers whose houses were removed when the original oiled-fired lamp was replaced by an acetone acetylene flashing beam in 1915. The lighthouse stands 18.3m above the bank and has a small catwalk around the top. The lighthouse was decommissioned around 1983 when a new electric beacon was placed on the port reclamation. It was retained as a backup.

1903 site The Municipal Building which was built for the Nelson City Council in 1903 was originally sited on this eastern corner of Trafalgar Street and Trafalgar Square and was demolished in 1990. In October 1992, a deed was entered into between the trustees of H C Cock Charitable Trust and the Council whereby a substantial donation was received from the Trust in return for the Council setting apart this site as a reserve and developing it as an enhanced open space park. The status of the reserve was changed from


Local Purpose (Enhanced Open Space) Reserve to Recreation Reserve by using Section 24 (1) (b) of the Reserves Act 1977 to ensure that no precipitate action can be taken affecting the status of the land without prior public notification. The Trustees of H C Cock Charitable Trust were invited to suggest names to formally adopt a name for the site. Options provided by the Trustees were “1903 site” and “Selwyn Court” as an alternative. “1903 site” was formally adopted on 19 April 2000. The design of the development of the 1903 site was to essentially provide an area of open space, a pedestrian extension to the Upper Trafalgar Street area, and to soften the dominance of the south wall of the Cephas Building. The design is simple and the area paved with bricks similar to those used in Trafalgar Street. A coloured pattern leads to a small raised platform at the rear of the site which is available for concerts, forums and similar functions. Phoenix palms have been chosen as the four main trees because of the proximity of the large palm in the grounds of the Nelson club immediately behind the 1903 site and the four on the adjacent Church Hill.

Basin Reserve Little is known about this reserve and the following is from an article in Mudcakes & Roses, Issue 34, February/March 2006. A large stone basin which looked a bit like an ornamental fountain but was an elaborate drinking fountain was on this site. You could press a button to get a refreshing drink of cold water. The reserve was accessible via a footpath from Richardson Street and it was pedestrians only, so no vehicles allowed at that stage. There was a small picket fence separating the reserve fro the road. It is believed that the “basin” and fence both went about the same time and vehicle access to the reserve started after that.

Basin Reserve Rutherford Park was formed on the mudflats of Nelson Haven by filling with rubbish and with fill from nearby hillsides, and consequently suffers considerably from localised subsidence. This makes the establishment and maintenance of high quality turf and hard surfaces costly and time consuming, and increases the cost of foundations for buildings. The park is centrally located and hence has great potential as a major centre for intensive recreations and cultural activities. Past development has been in a piecemeal fashion and has created considerable problems of traffic circulation, restricted areas for activities and conflicts between activities. The largest single building on the park is the Trafalgar Centre. The presence of this building, the central location of the park and the poor ground conditions together indicate that an intensive largely building orientated sporting and cultural complex, would be the most suitable for the site. This could include facilities for squash,


gymnastics, roller and ice skating, tennis, netball, cultural activities, swimming pools and many more activities. *the above information was taken from the Parks and Reserves Management Plan of 1987.


PRIVATE ART WORKS Oamaru Stone Sculptures at Nelson Airport Artist – Bodhi Vincent Date completed – September 1995 Titled – Pacific Angel A reclining angel, inspired by the angel motif that has been a part of the Wearable Art awards since its inception is one of the first pieces in the Creative Gateway series which Wearable Art awards director Suzie Moncrieff hopes to develop at Nelson Airport. (Hansen ID 348667)

Stainless Panels at Nelson Airport Artist – Darryl Frost Renovations to the original airport building added local art, including stainless steel panels with rock inserts. The panels, simulating riverbeds and featuring eddy spirals at the ends, required 52% to be holes for accurate wind distribution. The rocks in the piece were collected from around the region. (Hansen ID 348666)

Carved Tree Tribute at Nelson Airport A memorial to Captain Trent – no further details available. (Hansen ID 348665)

Art for Health Sculptor – Grant Palliser Tubular stainless steel sculpture next to the main entrance of the Nelson Hospital was commissioned in 2003 to mark it’s opening. The work can be viewed from many vantage points, inside and outside the hospital. The three corners are based on the three interwoven components of the Health Triangle – patient, health service providers, and the patient’s own family / whanau support system. (Hansen ID 348675)

Food For Thought Sculptor – Grant Scott Created from stainless steel and installed in the Collingwood Street FreshChoice carpark in 2005. (Hansen ID348673)

Earth Sky Sculptor – Ingo Kleinert


This sculpture was installed outside the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in 1996 to mark the institute’s 25 year anniversary. The rammed earth base represents the earth and Nelson mountains, and the stainless steel represents the sky and clouds; the combination of these materials symbolises nature, side by side with technology. (Hansen ID 348685)

Evolution Sculptor – Michael MacMillan Created at the 2002 Mac’s Sculpture Symposium. It is a water feature made from ceramics, metal and polished concrete. (Hansen ID 348669)

Whakatu Building artwork This new building in 2008 in Montgomery Square at the Rutherford Street end incorporates art work inside but visible and outside concrete relief on the building. (Hansen ID 348694)

WOW Un-named stone sculpture, by Michael MacMillan, in the courtyard at World of WearableArt. Carved stone sculpture, by Bodhi Vincent, at the entry of World of WearableArt.

Pacifica Dream Sculptor – Princess Hart One dimensional sculpture on the building at the junction of Nayland Road and Quarantine Road.

Pomeroy’s Mural Artist – Spike The story of coffee is painted on the Pomeroy’s building at the corner of Rutherford and Hardy Streets. Painted in 1999.

Firestation Mural Artist – Spike Mural painted on the Nelson firestation in 1993.

Voicebox Sculptor – Grant Palliser and students Metal sculpture at Broadgreen Intermediate. Created in 2006.


Palace Mural Painted mural by an unknown artist at Rutherford Street backpackers.

Royal Hotel Mural Painted mural by an unknown artist on the Royal Hotel at the intersection of Bridge Street and Collingwood Street.

Mosaic Arches and Wall Artist – Tejas Arn Tiles create these mosaic arches and wall at Broadgreen Intermediate.

Modigliani’s Trout Mural on the YHA at the Rutherford Street entrance to Montgomery Square, was painted in 1995 by Finnish artist, Sjrpa Alaiaakkoia, who now lives in the Marlborough Sounds.

Goddess of Flight Sculptor – Fiona Sutherland Situated at Nelson Airport and made of darjit, a paper pulp material, mixed with sand and cement over a metal armature.

Mosaic in memory of Michael and Jocelyn Allison – Fairfield Park Artist – Georgia Allison and Aaron Boys Installed – August 2012 Mosaic at the base of a drinking fountain in Fairfield Park containing a memorial plaque to Georgia’s grandparents, Michael and Jocelyn Allison. The design incorporates reference to a sun compass, the land and sky, using fragments of tiles given to the artists from local tile shops. The plaque in the centre of the mosaic was made by Simon Allison (Georgia’s father) includes a William Shakespeare sonnet from the book “No Roll of Drums” which was chosen for its reminder of the mountain ranges around the Cobb Valley, a favourite area of the Allisons. See http:\\tardis\1360988 – Nelson Mail article

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