Dame Lynley reveals that the project has also received royal recognition from Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who met Dame Lynley in 2012 and wrote to her recently after receiving a copy of her biography.
"She said she was very excited about the sculptures and how she would like to see them one day," Dame Lynley says.
The author and illustrator has done a painting of Hairy Maclary for Camilla, and in her thank you card, Camilla says the painting has become a family treasure. "She said her family fight over it and it has to be six months in one place and six months in another."
Dame Lynley's books have sold millions of copies worldwide and she says she is always overcome to think "the silly little things" she writes at her quiet country home in Pyes Pa have attracted such legions of fans.
The sculpture installation has been touted as an equivalent drawcard for Tauranga to Beatrix Potter in the Lake District of England and although Dame Lynley says she is yet to grasp the fact it will likely draw overseas fans, she hopes the city reaps the rewards because the project has only come to fruition through "the huge generosity of the community".
"The whole thing has been astonishing ... I'm very, very touched and terribly humbled by the whole business."
The project is led by Creative Tauranga and funding has come from TECT, City Care, Tauranga City Council, the Government's Tourism Facilities Grant, local rotary clubs and businesses, as well as individuals in New Zealand and overseas.
Kindergartens and cruise ship passengers are among those who have donated money.
Dame Lynley was approached with the idea by Creative Tauranga chief executive Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell in 2009.
After a few early delays, the sculptures were created over a year, during which time Dame Lynley worked closely with sculptor Brigitte Wuest to bring the designs to life.
"We had a lot of fun discussions about eyes and tails, and trying to figure out how to do [the dalmatian dog] Bottomley Potts' spots in bronze and all one colour."
Three of the sculptures - Bottomley Potts, daschund Schnitzel von Krumm and cat Slinky Malinki - are currently on display in Creative Tauranga's Willow St gallery.
Although they are one-third bigger than life size, the two dog sculptures have attracted attention from real dogs who have wandered inside and sniffed the bronzes.
"They must be so disappointed," Dame Lynley says. "It's going to be hilarious watching on the waterfront."
The installation will be "a typical scenario" involving the six dogs from the Hairy Maclary series, duckling Zachary Quack and scary cat Scarface Claw.
Dame Lynley has plenty more ideas for stories, but is not sure whether there will be another in the Hairy Maclary series, saying promotional work involving the roguish black pooch keeps her permanently busy.
'"Managing Hairy Maclary and hanging on to his tail takes a lot of time," the grandmother-of-two says with a laugh.
