The Redwoods - Whakarewarewa Forest

June 5, 2013

The first two steel ‘shrouds’ to be wrapped around new toilet cubicles at The Redwoods forest, and providing the major artistic design element, arrived onsite adjacent to the Redwoods Visitor Centre and car park this morning (Wednesday 5 June).

Rotorua District Council’s Redwoods manager Julianne Wilkinson says the kokako and tieke (saddleback) native bird designs are the first to be delivered, with additional shrouds featuring toutouwai (NZ robin), huia, kiwi and karearea (NZ falcon) designs expected to follow later in the week.

“These huge corten steel shrouds will wrap around the new colourful toilet cubicles, exposing the bird designs cut into the steel. As the steel oxidises it turns a reddy brown colour providing symmetry with the trunks of the surrounding redwood trees.

“Each shroud tells the story of a different extinct or endangered New Zealand bird.

“In the next couple of weeks the shrouds will be bolted into place, with an opening ceremony for the new toilet facilities to follow soon after,” says Ms Wilkinson.