As anticipation ramps up for the imminent opening of the CRL, the areas around the stations are coming to life.

Larger than life, even! Yesterday morning saw the unveiling of a magnificent 7.2m high bronze sculpture of a tuna kūwharuwharu (longfin eel) at the intersection of Victoria and Queen Streets.

Horotiu is one of two monumental works to grace the entrance to Te Waihorotiu station. It’s the work of Chris Bailey (Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Porou, Te Aupouri) and Sally Smith, and evokes the legendary protector of the Waihorotiu stream.

Horotiu is depicted spiralling downward from Puna Kauariki, the celestial spring. Its chin lightly touches the footpath, marking the place where the path of the Waihorotiu Stream is understood to have been diverted by a lava flow following the eruption of Rangipuke (near Albert Park) around 60,000 years ago.

Just look at this beauty!

Horotiu, unveiled: photo by Patrick Reynolds.

Co-creator Chris Bailey told RNZ that he hopes it will “serve as a meeting place and create lasting memories for future generations”:

“I was looking through some of our photographs. Some of our photographs at home, and we’ve got photos of me at the zoo with my sisters sitting on the mouth of this big dragon.

“I thought to myself, man, we’ve got to make one of these, but we’ll make it in our own flavour – an iconic piece or a wayfinder where people can come and take photos and say, ‘I’ll meet you at the eel.’”

He hoped tamariki growing up in Aotearoa would have memories of the sculpture similar to those he had of climbing on public artworks as a tamaiti.

Sure enough, as seen in these lovely photos of the dawn ceremony by David St George for Our Auckland, children immediately gravitated to the friendly creature, among them the artist’s own mokopuna…

The sculpture of Horotiu with children playing, at the dawn blessing. Photo: David St George, via Our Auckland.

Horotiu greeted by children. Photo by David St George, via Our Auckland.

…and so did adults, across the course of its first day in the light.

“COOL NEW EEL” rejoiced city-dweller and writer Tze Ming Mok on social media, capturing the surprise and delight of this fresh addition to the streetscape.

Horotiu by daylight. Image: Tze Ming Mok, via Bluesky

Shiny face of Horotiu. Image: Tze Ming Mok, via Bluesky

The second artwork unveiled yesterday stands slightly further up Victoria St, near the entrance to the station. Wāhine is a 3.7m high bronze sculpture, by master carver Arekatera (Katz) Maihi (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Tainui, Te Waiohua, Ngāpuhi) and Beronia Scott (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei).

It depicts a woman performing a welcoming karanga:

Karanga is traditionally performed by women, embodying mana wāhine – the strength and authority of women. Artist Beronia Scott drew on her expertise in raranga (weaving), translating its textures and forms into bronze, to inform the design of the korowai worn by this timeless wāhine figure. (Our Auckland)

Wāhine, who will greet people emerging up the ramp from Te Waihorotiu station on Victoria St West. Image: Patrick Reynolds.

Wāhine stands in conversation not only with people emerging from the station, but also with another notable artwork in the city centre:

Katz Maihi conceived Wāhine as a contemporary counterpart to the 1960s sculpture A Māori Figure in a Kaitaka Cloak by Molly Macalister, which has graced Auckland’s waterfront for decades.

“Wāhine embodies the offering of a karanga to everyone coming from the underground realm of Te Waihorotiu Station into the light of Te Hā Noa and Victoria Street,” he says.

Wāhine, standing ready to greet people emerging from Te Waihorotiu station. Image: Kent Lundberg

As Maihi told RNZ, as well as greeting visitors, “the statue will allow Māori to see themselves in the centre of Auckland”:

“It’s important to have this type of mahi in the public spaces because we all hear the current debates around the country, and this is just a total reminder that you can say whatever you want, you can take away what you want, but you’ll never move us. We’re going nowhere, we’re here forever.”

What would public infrastructure be, without public art? The value of these works will be instantly obvious to most of us – they’re priceless. But just in case anyone’s wondering about the cost, Auckland Council explains:

Auckland Council’s investment in new artworks, Horotiu and Wāhine, was $632k for Horotiu with 72.2% funded by the city centre targeted rate, and $744k for Wāhine with 65.5% funded by the city centre targeted rate.

The city centre targeted rate is contributed by city centre businesses and property owners. It funds a programme of urban regeneration and events in the city centre throughout the year. (Our Auckland)

Moreover, the new sculptures weave in with the already impressive art and architecture of the stations themselves, which even before officially opening, are drawing the kind of attention that money can’t buy.

Here’s a nice video that goes along with an article by Home of Architecture.

All of this is whetting the public appetite to actually ride the trains. An announcement of the official opening day cannot be far away. Councillors did their best to winkle out an actual date on Tuesday, as Jonathan Killick reported for The Post:

“Obviously, it feels like my favourite [opening] day of August 30th is gone, but is there any way in the next couple of days that it can be announced just what month?,” pleaded [Councillor Richard] Hills.

“Some people are like, is it August, September or is it November, December?”

As Killick spells out, the maths would suggest a Sunday in mid-September as the earliest possible date:

It’s previously been revealed that the opening day will be on a Sunday and it’s widely understood that the public will get five to six weeks notice.

That’s because train drivers have to be given notice on changes to their rosters. Once they’ve been told, the cat will be out of the bag.

…

Well placed sources tell The Post that the HOP card system gets updated fortnightly, which leaves the consortium of rail agencies, One Rail, Auckland Transport and KiwiRail, aiming for a launch in two week increments.

August 30 had been viewed as a possibility, but sign off on safety recommendations failed to come through in time.

That leaves September 13 as the next best option.

If that were to be the case it would be accordingly likely that the announcement would be made some time next week.

CRL advent calendar, anyone? In the meantime, here are two opportunities to pounce on:

Firstly, as Matt noted on Tuesday, Auckland Transport is planning public “first looks” at the stations in August. The tours will be free, but tickets are required. You can pre-register here to hear as soon as tickets are available.

Secondly: our super cute station-name T-shirts are selling like hotcakes! They come in a rainbow of colour options, and are print-on-demand (no returns), so double-check sizing before ordering. And allow about a week for delivery.

Basically, if you want yours in time for CRL-istmas (ho ho ho), best to order ASAP. That way, whatever the opening date, you’ll be first up, best dressed! Meet you at the eel?

Fab four stations on a tee, as modelled by beautiful Rainer. Shop here! Photo: Patrick Reynolds

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