Rotokawau Virginia Lake fountain

Published on 19 December 2018

Applying a mural to the fountain box has been one of the last steps in a process of comprehensive upgrades to the Higginbottom fountain at Rotokawau Virginia Lake. Artist Amla Meijer says she “liked the idea of people sitting in front of the mural looking at the fountain, with the wings of the swan outstretched around them”.

The fountain, installed in 1971, is a copper and steel floating structure in the form of a lily.

According to Whanganui District Council’s Parks Team Leader Wendy Bainbridge, the lights on the fountain “were continually failing, and had become uneconomic to repair”.

Upgrading the lights was a complex and expensive procedure, which involved installing new LED lights and drilling under the lake to replace ducting and cabling.

Powerco Ltd donated $10,000 to the Virginia Lake Trust for the recent upgrades and a bequest was also provided by the Eleanor Burgess Trust. Whanganui District Council contributed to installation costs.

An opening ceremony for the upgraded fountain was held on Wednesday, 19 December, with Mayor Hamish McDouall and representatives from Powerco Ltd, the Eleanor Burgess Trust and the Virginia Lake Trust. Mayor McDouall said the project is another example of the community and the Council working together on something which brings a lot of joy to residents and tourists.

“The fountain was gifted to the city in the early 1970s by Percy Higginbottom, a well-known philanthropist, and through the Virginia Lake Trust, Eleanor Burgess Trust and Powerco, this culture of philanthropy at the lake has continued.”

“The Higginbottom Fountain is a much-loved fixture of the lake and of our city. The lake and fountain are major Whanganui icons people see when driving toward the city from the western entrance and it’s even more magical when the lights are on at night.”

“While enjoying leisurely summer evenings over Christmas I encourage you to view the fountain in full colour mode once the sun goes down,” says Mayor McDouall.  

If you haven’t already, get up to the lake to see the new mural and the free 40 minute lighting display which occurs every evening, coinciding with when the streetlights are switched on. The display can be activated at any other time by placing a gold coin into the slot. The fountain has 15 illuminated jets in amber, blue, green and red.

Artist Amla Meijer taking a break during the process of painting the fountain box mural