The National Erebus Memorial project is being sponsored and led by the Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH). The purpose of the memorial is to commemorate the 257 passengers and crew who lost their lives in what remains one of New Zealand’s worst civil disasters.
Dove-Myer Robinson Park has been selected for the memorial site, following the granting of resource consent, an archeological authority from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and landowner approval from the Waitematā Local Board.
Project updates and details of the memorial, Te Paerangi Ataata – Sky Song, can be found on the Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage project website.
For any enquiries regarding the design or construction of the memorial, please contact Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage at erebus@mch.govt.nz
For any enquiries regarding Auckland Council’s role as the landowner/regulatory authority, please contact us at skysongmemorial@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Background
- In November 2018, Waitematā Local Board supported the siting of the proposed memorial at Dove-Myer Robinson Park subject to, among other things, the local board granting landowner approval for the installation of the winning design.
- The local board reviewed the shortlisted design options for the finalists of the national design competition in February 2019.
- The Auckland Urban Design Panel independently reviewed the final designs at the same time and considered that the Te Paerangi Ataata – Sky Song memorial had significant merit.
- On 17 September 2019, Waitematā Local Board heard from individual local residents and local community groups who sought the opportunity to have their say on the effects of the proposed memorial at Dove-Myer Robinson park.
- In October 2019, the local board ran a public consultation to find out if building a National Erebus Memorial in Dove-Myer Robinson Park would impact people's experience of visiting the park and affect how often they would visit.
- In December 2019, the Ministry deferred its application for landowner approval from the local board for the memorial to be sited in the park until it had obtained the necessary resource consent and Heritage New Zealand approvals.
- In March 2020, an independent commissioner granted resource consent on a non-notified basis after an assessment of environmental effects found that the memorial in the location proposed would have a less than minor effect.
- In September 2020, Heritage New Zealand granted archaeological authority to the Ministry for work to go ahead in the park.
- A report was presented to the Waitematā Local Board in November 2020, where final landowner approval was granted.
