Erebus memorial moves $3m nearer
A national memorial to victims of the 1979 Erebus plane crash is a step closer after Cabinet approved funding of $3 million yesterday.
The funding has been welcomed by a group pushing for a memorial. Spokesman Richard Waugh said victims’ families wanted something “elegant, accessible and not in a cemetery”.
“This will be a very special place principally for families where they can go for prayers, contemplation and reflection, and for all of New Zealanders,” he said.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is calling for expressions of interest from architects, artists and landscape architects for the memorial to mark the 40th anniversary since the tragedy on Mt Erebus in Antarctica.
The ministry’s acting chief executive, Renee Graham, said the memorial would honour the 257 passengers and crew who were on the flight, and provide a place for people to pay their respects.
She said it was likely to be located in Auckland and the ministry was working with Auckland Council, iwi, local government and community groups to select a site.
“This will be well-received by many family members of the Erebus victims and acknowledges the departure location of the flight,” Graham said.
Brodie Stubbs, the ministry’s manager of memorials and taonga, said it would be unwise to rush such a memorial and that it would not be ready in time for the disaster’s 40th anniversary in November next year.
Stubbs said the aim was to have the memorial completed in May 2020.