Peter Fleming has created a series of whale tail sculptures, which he would like to see placed at former whaling sites around the harbour.
"I'd like to put one at all the old Otago whaling station sites, at places like Wellers Rock, Taieri Mouth, Otakau and Blueskin Bay," he said yesterday.
"It would be an amazing sight for all the cruise ship passengers as they come up the harbour. I've always wanted to do a giant albatross for Taiaroa Head, too."
Mr Fleming was inspired to make the whale sculptures by his ancestors.
"I come from whaling people. My ancestors were all whalers in Riverton in the early 1800s."
The former roofer makes the sculptures, which are up to 2.2m high, in the living room of his Kaikorai home.
"It's a practical place to do it. I can put my slippers on and there's a nice warm fire."
The sculptures take up to 195 hours and around 4000 pop rivets to create.
"They're all made out of scrap off-cuts and every one is unique," he said.
"I couldn't make two exactly the same if I tried. But then, I wouldn't imagine there are two whales in the ocean that are exactly the same."
Two of the sculptures are on display in the Wall St Mall until June 15.
