Hobbit-themed eagle sculptures to depart New Zealand airport
Two giant eagle sculptures inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have loomed over visitors to Wellington Airport for more than a decade. Now, they will take their final flight and depart the airport on Friday.
The two eagles, one with a sculpture of Gandalf on its back, were first installed 12 years ago, a statement released by the airport on Monday said.
Their installation coincided with the release of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit movie trilogy, which were filmed in New Zealand.
After providing a stunning backdrop to Jackson's movies, New Zealand became synonymous with author J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth, with tourists flocking to the country to see the filming locations.
Each eagle weighs more than a tonne and has a 15-metre wingspan. They are made from an internal steel framework, polystyrene body and have a combined total of 1000 feathers — the longest of which measures 2.4m, the airport said.
Eagles frequently feature in Tolkien's stories, often swooping in and saving other characters from seemingly hopeless situations.
These eagle sculptures will be placed into storage once they have been disassembled, though a long-term plan for them has not yet been decided, the airport said.
'It's not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport, but in this case, it will be emotional for us,' said the airport's chief executive Matt Clarke in a statement.
'They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them. After 12 years it's the right time for them to fly the nest.'
The eagle sculptures were created by Weta Workshop — the same team that built props and designed physical effects for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies.
Clarke didn't say what would replace the eagles but added the airport is working with Weta Workshop on 'some exciting plans for a unique, locally themed replacement' that will be revealed later this year as part of a whole redesign of the terminal.
A sculpture of Smaug, the dragon who is the main antagonist in The Hobbit will remain in the check-in area, Wellington Airport confirmed.
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