Gisborne is already well endowed with statues, but this one commemorating the hugely popular Footrot Flats cartoons by Gisborne local, the late Murray Ball, is one of our faves. Wal, the series' archetypal Kiwi farmer, stands with his devoted canine companion, 'The Dog', looking on. For more on Footrot Flats, see www.footrotflats.com, or check out the 1986 movie Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale.
Footrot Flats Statue
Gisborne
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.19 MILES
The Tairāwhiti Museum, with its fab gallery extension, focuses on East Coast Māori and colonial history. This is Gisborne’s arts hub, with rotating…
0.87 MILES
High on a hill overlooking Gisborne, Titirangi was once a pā (fortified village). Reach it via Queens Dr, or on the steep track from the revamped Puhi Kai…
Puhi Kai Iti Cook Landing Site
0.69 MILES
At the foot of Titirangi Reserve is the spot where Captain Cook first landed in NZ in 1769, and where nine Māori were killed by Cook's crew. In 2019, a $5…
18.07 MILES
An arboreal paradise, Eastwoodhill Arboretum is the largest collection of northern-hemisphere trees and shrubs in the southern hemisphere. It's…
0.19 MILES
This cultural centre commemorates the dedication and commitment of the famed 28th Māori Battalion of the New Zealand Army who fought bravely in the…
0.63 MILES
On the flanks of Titirangi Reserve is an impressive new sculpture of Te Maro, the first of nine Māori men killed by Cook's crew when they landed in…
6.88 MILES
Sustainable, organic, biodynamic... Millton makes all the right moves, and makes them well. Bring a picnic and kick back surrounded by sturdy-trunked…
4.93 MILES
Enjoy a picnic in bucolic splendour, accompanied by a flight of fine wines. Matawhero is home to a particularly buttery chardy, refined over almost 50…
Nearby Gisborne attractions
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Built in 1934, this art-deco clock tower is the undisputed highlight of Gisborne's main street.
0.19 MILES
This cultural centre commemorates the dedication and commitment of the famed 28th Māori Battalion of the New Zealand Army who fought bravely in the…
0.19 MILES
The Tairāwhiti Museum, with its fab gallery extension, focuses on East Coast Māori and colonial history. This is Gisborne’s arts hub, with rotating…
4. Te Tauihu Turanga Whakamana
0.25 MILES
Like a giant sundial, Te Tauihu Turanga Whakamana is a large modern sculpture in the shape of a tauihu (canoe prow) that celebrates early Māori explorers.
0.52 MILES
One of Gisborne's gaggle of Captain Cook commemorations, part of which is a globe etched with his roaming routes.
0.57 MILES
There's no let-up in Gisborne's Endeavour endeavours: in the riverside park is a dynamic statue of Nicholas Young, Captain Cook’s cabin boy, whose eagle…
0.6 MILES
The town gardens are sitting pretty beside the Taruheru River – a beautiful spot for a picnic and a romp around the big playground. Wiggle through the NZ…
0.63 MILES
On the flanks of Titirangi Reserve is an impressive new sculpture of Te Maro, the first of nine Māori men killed by Cook's crew when they landed in…