The Tunneller, Turangi. North Island. New Zealand.
S 38° 59.375 E 175° 48.540
60H E 396852 N 5683704
A tall statue of a Tunneller stands in the town centre of Turangi, representing the Tunnellers and all the various people who worked on the Tongariro Hydro Power scheme in the late 1960s, which contributed to the development and future of Turangi.
Waymark Code: WM10PZW
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 06/08/2019
Views: 2
This 4.2 metre high artwork constructed of Corten Steel is a tribute to the Turangi town's Hydro history. The statue recognises the contribution of the tunnellers, Pakeha, Italian and Maori, who were instrumental in building the Tongariro Power Development Scheme.
The Ministry of Works signed the first contracts for the 360-megawatt hydro-electric power scheme in 1967.
Tunnellers spent 13 years digging a network of tunnels in the region connecting lakes, rivers and powerhouses. Kiwis and the many immigrant Italian tunnellers worked in some of the most difficult and hazardous conditions imaginable to drive the 50 km of tunnels and build the vast underground power station at Rangipo.
See Link to Tongariro Power Scheme: (
visit link)
Real estate agent Zane Cozens and his partner John Mack have donated this statue to Turangi. It cost around $40,000. The Tunnellers helmet lamp lights up at night. The Statue was unveiled on 16th March, 2019 and stands proudly in the Town Centre honoring all the workers on the Hydro Power Scheme.
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