Waimate council farewells wallaby

Waimate is rebranding and there’s no room for the wallaby.

Waimate district councillors voted in favour of a new logo design at yesterday’s meeting.

The wallaby, which stands atop the Waimate District Council’s logo, is to be replaced with a landscape themed design.

It was the centre of discussion as councillors questioned the merits of having the animal associated with the district.

Councillor Sheila Paul suggested council remove a promote the wallaby experience from the district’s draft economic development strategy which was also tabled yesterday.

Cr Jakki Guilford said the wallaby was the biggest selling point in terms of Waimate Information Centre inquiries.

‘‘It is the single biggest thing people ask about when they come into the information centre,’’ she said.

Mayor Craig Rowley said: ‘‘I know wallabies are a pest, every time I meet ECan I get it in the neck as to why we have a wallaby on our logo.

‘‘The wallaby experience is about going out and shooting them, there’s a lot of hunters who want to go out and hunt them; Waimate is the only place you can go and hunt them, everywhere else they are protected.

‘‘As a marketing tool they need to stay.’’

Deputy mayor Sharyn Cain said: ‘‘We cuddle them, we shoot them, we eat them, they are contributing to our economy.’’

A cost of $550 had been incurred for graphic design and a gradual rollout would follow as new material was required, in an effort to reduce costs.

Rowley thanked executive support manager Michelle Jones for her work on the project.

‘‘I think it’s great, I don’t think $550 is going to break the bank,’’ he said.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of approving the new logo for immediate use.

In November, Jones told the council the current logo was developed by Project Waimate in 2000 and was now ‘‘dated’’ and ‘‘busy’’ with a number of elements including ‘‘hills’’ and a ‘‘wallaby’’ which was difficult to view when reduced in size.

A number of designs that were ‘‘contemporary with a modern font and vibrant colours’’ were presented to councillors for consideration. Further options were presented for discussion at a council workshop in December and a preferred design was identified.

The new logo is Tony Patterson’s winning professional category design submitted as part of an Explore Waimate branding competition in September, 2017. The image depicts Waimate’s changing landscape ‘‘from the high country, to the lakes, rivers, pastures and the sea’’.