A group of diplomats representing 47 countries - including Austrian ambassador Dr Bernhard Zimburg - have given plans for a Hundertwasser Arts Centre the thumbs-up after visiting Whangarei's Town Basin.
The approximately 70 foreign diplomats and their spouses visited The Kakano - The Seed at Whangarei Town Basin on Saturday to see the colourful folly that had been built to give builders an idea of the techniques needed to build the Hundertwasser Arts Centre and the combined Wairau Maori Art Gallery on the former Northland Harbour Board building site at The Basin.
Pam Tothill, Prosper Northland Trust events organiser, said the diplomats, including Dr Zimburg, were blown away by Te Kakano and the plans for HAC.
"It was a very successful visit. They were all absolutely blown away by Te Kakano and the whole story of HAC and how it was a community effort to get it to this stage.
"We then took them to (HAC) HQ (in the CBD) to show them the scale model of what the centre will look like when finished," Ms Tothill said.