Source: Radio New Zealand
The brown trout statue was unveiled by Sir Bob Jones in February 1989, but has been unnamed ever since. RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Gore’s famous giant brown trout statue is angling for an official name.
The sculpture – designed by local artist Erroll Allison and built by a local engineering firm – has proudly stood in Gore for almost 40 years.
The statue, capturing a trout mid-leap, is finally getting a name as part of a competition to promote the Southland town’s On The Fly Festival on the Mataura River later this month.
Gore District Council senior events co-ordinator Florine Potts told Checkpoint that there had been “heaps” of suggestions, with Trouty McTroutface one of the first to come through – “Someone had to do it.”
Potts said the list of initial names had been slimmed down to five finalists – Trixie, Scout, Trevor, Gordon or Finn.
“Voting has only opened on Monday, so people still have a lot of time to vote.
“Everyone can vote, they can go on our socials or text our local radio station. If you come to Gore, you can have an opinion on it.”
Potts said they were hoping other towns with giant statues of local animals and produce will follow suit and name their own statues.
She said locals were looking forward to being able to stop referring to it as just “the trout”, but said whatever the name, it would always be a true Gore icon.
“People come and visit and take photos with the trout. Everyone knows the trout.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
