Sculptor Frank Wells sits on his latest creation in homage to motorcyclist legend Burt Munro - a motorcycle sculpture created from a 200-year-old totara salvaged from Deep Cove in Fiordland.
Mr Wells, best known for his ''stumpery'' and timber art works and seats in Invercargill's Queens Park, said he created the 1000kg artwork over seven years.
''It was a tree root. When I saw it, I could see a seat in it.''
The tourist boat operator had a consent to remove the tree from the national park and said he began working on the Burt Munro-inspired work after the timber had dried out. A lot of people had shown ''quite a bit of interest'' in it throughout the years, he said.
''They have seen me working on it in my driveway. I had to sculpt and shape it, which took nearly 400 hours.''
The sculpture is now anchored and chained in front of the fountain near Queens Park's Feldwick Gates. It was ''on loan'' in time for the start of the Burt Munro Challenge today.
Mr Wells said the sculpture might be there about two weeks.
- by Janette Gellatly
