Riverton’s iconic pāua shell structure on the move

A giant structure that once graced the main street of a small Southland town will soon have a new home.

Riverton/Aparima’s iconic pāua shell is on the move, albeit just down the road.

Created in the early 1990s by Fiordland Souvenirs for advertising purposes, the shell soon became the town’s unofficial icon.

But in 2021, its future became uncertain after its owner made a decision to sell the land it occupied.

It wasn’t until last year Ōraka Aparima Community Board finalised payments of $30,000 to take ownership of the shell.

Board chairperson Michael Weusten said damage to the shell needed addressing before it could be repositioned at the new site, Koi Koi Park - near the town’s skate park.

“It’s being repaired and refurbished,” Weusten said.

There was significant wear and tear needing to be repaired before it could be re-erected, he said.

Because the cost of refurbishing the shell’s pāua lining was going to cost about $10,000, a decision was made to get it painted with an automotive-type paint “much like hotrods”.

Moving the object to the new site also provided an opportunity to better present it to the public.

Pāua had a long history in the area as both a food source for Māori settlements and for use in jewellery, he said.

“One of the things that happens when the new shell goes in, there’s going to be considerable information boards detailing its history in the Riverton region.”

The shell’s refurbishment is due to be completed by the end of March, with installation at Koi Koi Park expected towards the end of June.

The $30,000 purchase price included an initial deposit of $10,000 and final payment of $20,000 for refurbishment and delivery.

Despite being privately owned, the shell has long been associated with the Riverton/Aparima area.

In 1998, it featured in a series of postage stamps celebrating New Zealand’s town icons.