The community has started to send Boom Boom on adventures around town. Image / Lakeland Marine Services Facebook page
The community has started to send Boom Boom on adventures around town. Image / Lakeland Marine Services Facebook page
Boom Boom the dinosaur might be unpopular with a lot of local ratepayers, but parts of the community seem to be embracing the frenzy about the town’s latest addition.
The nearly 10m tall, $200,000 sculpture, made from mirror-polished stainless steel and corten steel, was unveiled at Taupō’s Riverside Park earlierthis month and has attracted a flood of comments.
Since then, more and more businesses – and members of the community – are making use of the hype, sending Boom Boom on adventures around town, often with the help of AI.
Boom Boom has been featured getting coffee, visiting cafes, restaurants and foodtrucks, doing reformer Pilates, being a radio announcer, getting lash extensions and his hair done, going skydiving and golfing and washing windows and cars.
Even the Taupo Freemasons got on board, revealing Boom Boom was a member.
Youth health service Anamata used the hype for sexual health awareness.
“Boom Boom has had a busy two weeks seeing A LOT of people, so Boom Boom paid Anamata a visit for an STI test and to grab some condoms for protection.”
Taupo Tandem Skydive put up a post saying Boom Boom had taken to the skies.
“Please note: Be assured, we would never jump in this configuration. The dinosaur would absolutely have to wear goggles.”
The local golf club posted that Boom Boom might not be in his “usual perch” in the morning, because “he’s off to play nine holes at Taupo Golf Club.”
Artist Gregor Kregar with Boom Boom the dinosaur.
Tourism business Taupo Floatplane said they had been giving him a lift and some people claimed they had seen Boom Boom checking out the rock carvings.
The Daily Grind Beauty put up a post saying they had the secret to his flawless skin.
“How does Boom Boom the dinosaur keep his skin so smooth and dewy? Easy, he exfoliates with our body scrub.”
Animal Care Turangi posted that Boom Boom had been surrendered into their care and was looking for his forever home.
Somebody even tried to sell the sculpture on Trade Me, however, the listing was taken down.
There are still critical comments on the posts, especially about the sculpture’s hefty price tag, however, a lot of people seem to be coming around.
Sky Olds commented: “Honestly wasn’t a massive fan of this boom boom thingy but the way Taupo has come together and is somewhat seeing the funny side of it. I’m low key liking it.”
Chrissy Hill said: “I’m loving this all the adventures Boom Boom is having.”
Boom Boom the dinosaur has allegedly been seen golfing. Image / Taupo Golf Club Facebook page
Nadia Morten commented: “I reckon Boom Boom has earnt his place in the Taupo community now. He’s an official member of the Taupo noticeboard that’s for sure.”
Some also said the frenzy could be good for business, calling Boom Boom a “marketing masterstroke“.
Don Paterson suggested that since Boom Boom had explored Taupō extensively, he should branch out.
“Boom Boom should visit Rotorua and get a Spa Treatment. Wonder if there’s a robe big enough?”
While he is yet to be sighted in Rotorua, Boom Boom seems to have made his way to Hawke’s Bay.
Havelock North Holiday Park posted that he had been lending the team a hand to finish the kitchen block.
“He rolled in wearing full work gear, ready to check out NZ’s newest holiday park and pitch in where it counts ... If Boom Boom made the trip … maybe you should too!”
Anne Pierson commented: “These posts are awesome. Surely he’s known overseas now.”
Pierson seems to be right, as even the BBC and Italian online magazine Finestre sull’Arte reported about the sculpture.
Sophie Maidment commented Boom Boom was “the Statue That Launched a Thousand Eye Rolls (and Memes)” and an “accidental art hero”.
“Boom Boom, Taupō’s shiny dinosaur statue, was meant to represent ‘visionary brilliance’. Instead, it sparked something better: unity through satire.
“Locals questioned the price tag. The internet questioned the meaning. And the rest of the world? They just joined in and ran with it – turning Boom Boom into a viral sensation.”
Boom Boom, created by Auckland-based artist Gregor Kregar, was specially commissioned by the Taupō Sculpture Trust as the first piece of a new sculpture park.
Within the next year, the trust expects to add two further sculptures.
As part of the 2018-28 long-term plan, Taupō District Council agreed to give the trust a one-off grant of $100,000 towards a “destination sculpture” provided the trust could raise the same amount.
Boom Boom, like the sculptures that will follow, was selected by the trust.
Danielle Zollickhofer is the Waikato news director and a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
