Well - here's a story! Most of these photos were taken today and have a bit of a story to them. The top left and bottom right were made (but not designed) by a Waiuku engineer, so we're pleased that Rex has his work on display in the Botanic Gardens. But - here is the sad story - the bronze eel (Tuna in Maori) was stolen in an overnight raid a couple of nights ago. It is about 70cm tall and weighed nearly 90kg. The Gardens staff quickly got in touch with all the scrap metal merchants and lo and behold it turned up after only one day!! How silly can you be to think you'd get away with that! It was originally purchased by the 'Friends of Auckland Botanic Gardens' and gifted to the city. It has been badly damaged - having had a fin and its tail cut off. Apparently the thieves cut off the tail so they could fill the hollow body with water, then it would weigh more when they took it to the metal merchants…. Really bright eh? It will be some weeks before it is restored to look like it did when I took the photo a few weeks ago.
Great images and collage Dianne, thanks for sharing them and the story of the stolen tuna. I'm so glad it was recovered so quickly and is being restored. We should really be grateful when baddies aren't terribly smart. Otherwise the sculpture would've been gone for ever.
Beautiful set of shots and I love the colourful background. How stupid can one be! What kind of expensive metal could that be to steal it to get some money out of it.
A lovely collection of local art. I'm glad you got a good shot of the tuna before he was damaged - so pleased he was recovered. Vandals like this are lower than an tuna's belly.
Well that is a sorry tale but a happy ending thanks to thieves with no brains....the first place you would look surely, as for the water bit.the mind boggles!
Ian