Project Overview
Client
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Ross Hemera (Artist)
Location
Tewera’s Corner (Dog Kennel Corner), SH8 between Fairlie and Lake Tekapo, Mackenzie Basin
Date Completed
2024
Services
Consultancy
Design
Cut. Fold. Build.
Installation
In the wide-open country between Fairlie and Lake Tekapo, this work now marks the moment travelers slow down and take in the Mackenzie Basin. Te Kahui Tipua, Te Kahui Roko, Te Kahui Takata is a 14-metre sculptural welcome to one of the most striking landscapes in Aotearoa.
About the Artwork
The work was created by artist Ross Hemera (Ngāi Tahu), with advice from Moeraki, Waihao, and Arowhenua rūnanga. It is fabricated from weathered and stainless steel, two materials chosen so the forms can hold their own against the scale of the Southern Alps while also catching alpine light.
The sculpture sits within a scenic rest area developed by Waka Kotahi, creating a safe pullover area where travelers can stop, stretch, and take in the surroundings.
Design and Meaning
The design offers a mihimihi — a welcome — to Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (the Southern Alps), Aoraki (Mt Cook), and Te Manahuna (Mackenzie Country).
It references the hulls of the Uruaou and Ārai-te-uru waka that carried ancient Māori from Hawaiki to the South Island, and draws on Māori rock art from sites across the South Island — including tiki (human figures) and the Pouākai, the legendary giant bird. The three named groupings — Tipua, Roko, and Takata — invite travelers into a layered story of arrival, presence, and people.
Engineering and Artisanship
Installing this work in a remote, alpine environment brought its own demands. Material choice, structural strength, and surface treatment all had to suit a setting that swings between strong sun, snow, and high winds. Our team worked closely with Ross Hemera and Waka Kotahi to translate the design into a piece that reads clearly at highway scale and stands confidently in the landscape.
A New Landmark on SH8
This work is the result of strong collaboration between the artist, mana whenua of the Mackenzie Basin, Waka Kotahi, and Longveld. It pairs deeply rooted cultural narrative with the engineering required for large-scale roadside art.
See it in Person
Visitors can view Te Kahui Tipua, Te Kahui Roko, Te Kahui Takata at the scenic pullover at Tewera’s Corner on SH8 and experience the welcome it offers to the Mackenzie Basin.
