The iconic (and often quirky) sculptures of New Zealand
Whether a gumboot, carrot, cow or L&P bottle, these kitschy constructions dotting the country serve as landmarks and a nod to what makes the town tick.
A 10m-tall dinosaur sculpture in Taupō has been added to the list of notable ‘big’ sculptures around Aotearoa.
The artwork joins a host of iconic (and occasionally quite random and controversial) sculptures from around New Zealand. Let's take a tour.
Artist Gregor Kregar says the large rock in his sculpture relates to the giant boulders ejected by the volcanic force of Taupō’s historic eruptions. The mirror-polished stainless steel Sauropod dinosaur is based on an inflatable toy and represents the town’s playful ‘holiday destination’ aspect.
Taupō District Council
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Kiwis are big on fruit and veggies, literally
The Central Otago town of Cromwell has been greeting visitors with its iconic Big Fruit sculpture, consisting of an apricot, pear, apple and nectarine, to signify the region’s stone-fruit crops since 1989.
Big Fruit sculpture in Cromwell, Central Otago.
Geoff Marks
In Bay of Plenty, a 16m-tall kiwifruit was set up for what was known as the Kiwi360 tourist attraction at the company’s Te Puke complex. The property on which the 38-year-old statue sits, was then purchased by Seeka in 2016.
The big carrot sculpture in Ohakune, Ruapehu District.
Creative Commons / Paul Moss
There’s also a big apple sculpture at Waitomo, for the Big Apple Café, and a carrot at Ohakune’s entrance (which has survived for 41 years).
Just iconic Kiwi stuff
A big shoutout in the list of big sculptures goes to New Zealand’s farming industry.
Fonterra's Olive cow, outside its Whareroa plant, has been through quite a bit over the years.
RNZ/Sally Round
We’ve got a big cow, known as Olive, that has stood guard outside Fonterra’s plant in Whareroa for about 30 years. It was vandalised twice – in 2019 and in 2024 by protesters commemorating Bobby Calf Awareness Day.
Betty is one of dozens of cow sculptures in Morrinsville that have been artistically painted.
There’s another ‘mega’ cow plus 60 or so smaller artistically painted ones in Morrinsville. They’ve been installed as a nod to the region’s dairy farming history. Near Morrinsville, Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company’s factory pays homage with a 12m-high whipping cream can.
Tīrau is known for its landmark corrugated iron buildings and signs, which are favourites for travellers to take photos with.
RNZ/Tim Collins
The sheep and dog head buildings pay tribute to the community's history in sheep farming.
RNZ/ Louise Ternouth
Giant dog and sheep head-shaped buildings in Tīrau, in the South Waikato district, host an information centre and wool shop. Te Kūiti, which hosts the annual national shearing championships, pays homage to the town’s history with a 6m-tall shearing sheep statue. (Te Kūiti also boasts a 2.7m bronze statue of former All Black Colin Meads.)
The statue of a man shearing a sheep in Te Kūiti, Waitomo District.
Flickr / Duncan Cumming / CC BY-NC 2.0
Symbolic of Kiwi summers, a giant jandal on the Hauraki Rail Trail, on the Coromandel Peninsula, offers some respite for hikers.
Giant Kiwi sculpture at the southern entrance to Eketāhuna, picture taken in 2006.
Flickr / Brenda Anderson, [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en CC BY-NC-SA 2.0]
We’ve got some tributes to our flightless birds - kiwi sculptures in Eketāhuna and Otorohanga, and takahē in Te Anau.
The big L&P drink bottle statue in its hometown Paeroa, Thames Valley.
123RF / Natalia Catalina
Last but not least, the popular 7m-high L&P bottle in Paeroa, Thames Valley, where the factory used to be situated before closing in 1980.
Looks a little fishy
There are two big trout in regions known for the fish – Gore and Taupō – which were built in the ‘90s. A salmon has also stood tall in Rakaia since 1991.
From left, the salmon sculpture in Rakaia, the brown trout in Gore and the metal trout in Taupō.
Google Maps
Another gift from the ‘90s – a giant pāua shell, which is said to have been lined with 1000 sheets of real pāua, is in Riverton, Southland.
And some random ones…
Dale, the 8m-tall spider in Auckland, is marking its return after being put aside while Avondale’s town square was being redeveloped. It has been there for more than 20 years.
Quasi was created by artist Ronnie van Hout, based on his face and hand.
Christchurch City Art Gallery
Quasi, a giant hand-face sculpture, took a tour of Christchurch and Wellington before heading off overseas to Australia. It is a partial self-portrait, based on scans of New Zealand artist Ronnie van Hout’s face and hand.
Supplied / Google Maps
A gumboot sculpture marks the entrance to Taihape, dubbed the “Gumboot Capital of the World" thanks to satirist John Clarke. He played the character of Fred Dagg - a typical Kiwi farmer from Taihape who wore gumboots. The town has been synonymous with the boots ever since – and even celebrates Gumboot Day annually.
Protesters delivered a huge statue of then-Environment Minister Nick Smith squatting over a glass of water to Canterbury's regional council in 2017.
RNZ / Conan Young
Artist Sam Mahon got into a bit of hot water over his depiction of former environment minister Nick Smith with his pants down squatting over a glass in 2017. It even made headlines on the BBC.
The sculpture, made out of horse poo, was said to be Mahon’s protest against the way the government treated the water quality issue. It was last reported in 2017 that the sculpture was in Nelson, but it’s not clear what has happened to it since.
