Final submissions: Wellywood alternatives flood in

Wellywood sign. Photo / Supplied

Kooky and kitschy alternatives to the controversial Wellywood sign have flooded in during the final hours of public submissions, with proposals celebrating everything from the capital's film industry to its umbrella-mangling weather.

Wellington Airport called for submissions after public outcry over its plans to erect a Wellywood sign on a hillside by the airport.

A spokeswoman said 316 proposals had been received by the time submissions closed at midnight yesterday.

"Before the weekend it was below 200 so we've had quite a rush of submissions, which is cool, so hopefully we'll get some great ideas from there.''

Submissions had mainly come from the Wellington region, with others coming from throughout New Zealand. There were even submissions from as far afield as Germany.

Among the kookier proposals involved "where all the lost umbrellas went in Wellington'' - celebrating the city's famously windy climate.

Film images were also popular, including avatars, hobbits and a film reel.

A number of submissions made use of New Zealand wildlife, with ideas including including weta, katipo spiders and silver ferns.

There were also different variations on a "Wellington'' sign, including different coloured letters, as well as a number of submissions for "haere mai'' and "kia ora''.

"We're trying to celebrate Wellington's point of difference rather than New Zealand's point of difference,'' the spokeswoman said.

An independent panel would meet this weekend to pick the top eight submissions, which the public would then be able to vote on online in a fortnight.

The top two submission would then go head-to-head with the original Wellywood sign proposal in a second public vote.

The spokeswoman said voting was a great way for the public to have their say.

"I hope it will be quite well received because we've really tried to get the public to be involved in this one.''

The winning submitter would work with engineers to realise their design, which would be erected by April 2012.

- APNZ