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2. Carter Fountain

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Artist	Unknown
Year	1973
Location	150 meters out in the harbour, Oriental Bay
Tour directions	From where you’re standing, look out to the harbour.

Beached as bro

The 22,000 tonnes of champagne-coloured sand in Oriental Bay were barged in from Takaka in the South Island at a cost of $7.5 million dollars

Sculpture background

The Carter Fountain was installed in 1973 and was originally to be named the “Oriental Bay Fountain” until the untimely death of its benefactor.

At a cost of $75,000, the fountain was a gift to the city from local resident Hugh Carter. Carter was inspired by a fountain he saw in Geneva in the early 1960s. Carter initially dedicated the fountain to his parents George and Ella Carter – who paid for the Oriental Parade flower garden

Tragedy struck just days after the fountain was officially opened. Carter was about to sail to Nelson on his launch when he slipped and drowned. The fountain was named the Carter Fountain as a mark of respect.

The fountain operating

The fountain is controlled by a wind sensor so will not activate when the wind is at 10 knots or higher. In calm weather the fountain can shoot water up to 16 metres into the air.

Its hours of operation are: