Art and sculptures

A wooden abstract sculpture with lizard-like features sits among greenery on the shady bank of a pond.

Queens Park is dotted with public art and sculptures. Some have become an iconic part of Invercargill's urban landscape, while others remain tucked away, waiting to be discovered by those willing to look a little closer.

Feldwick Gates

The Feldwick Gates, built in 1924, form the main entrance to Queens Park and are an icon of Invercargill.

The gates memorialise the generosity of benefactor John Feldwick, whose 1913 bequest funded much of the development of the park.

Large trees surround a fountain with statues of animals and a small Peter Pan on a column.

Thomson Statuary

The Thomson Statuary in the children’s playground is beloved by generations of Invercargill residents.

Unveiled by The Queen Mother in 1956, it features Peter Pan atop a column surrounded by lions, seals, and an eagle.

Peter Pan

The statue of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell was placed into position in 1968, funded from a legacy left by Miss E W Bellamy in 1949.

A wooden sculpture made up of triangle shapes sits on a paved path among the lawns and trees of Queens Park.

Nor'wester

This sculpture by Frank Wells was created using local materials – macrocarpa timber grown in Queens Park and quartz stones from Awarua – and is a depiction of the nor’wester winds.

A grey stone sculpture in a round boulder shape with a carved octopus-like figure draped over it.

Lady Octopus

The Lady Octopus sculpture in the Aviary was purchased by Council in 2007, along with the Ladybird sculpture in the Animal Reserve.

Both were sculpted by Johnny Penisula and are made from andesite stone.

A sculpture of Burt Munro in a vehicle sits on a stone foundation in front of a flowering garden with trees in the background.

Burt Munro Memorial

This life-size rendition of Invercargill legend Burt Munro was created by Ōtātara artist Roddy McMillan and is located just outside the Feldwick Gates on Gala Street.

Sundial

In 1934, a sundial made by James Stewart was presented to Queens Park. It is located in the centre of the Henry Edginton Rose Garden.

Stewart also made the sundial in Otepuni Gardens.

Southland Boy

The Child Figure Study ("Southland Boy") was unveiled on 15 December 1957.

The sculpture is a bronze figure of a typical Southland boy on top of a pedestal incorporating New Zealand flora and fauna.

Tōtara log sculpture

The tōtara log sculpture by the Aviary was sculptured by Frank Wells and purchased by Council in 2007.

It was sculptured from two tōtara logs found submerged in water in Doubtful Sound, Fiordland.

Acclimatisation Society cairn

The Southland Acclimatisation Society’s cairn with bronze plaques was unveiled near the duck pond on 6 September 1963.

The cairn, sculptured by Mrs CL Bricknell of Invercargill, commemorates the centenary of the Society’s first meeting.