Driftwood sofa builder speaks out about removal from dunes

One of the men who built a popular "driftwood sofa" on top of dunes at Mount Maunganui, which the council has ordered to be removed, says the structure was built there for a reason.

Brian Currie built the seat with his friend Rodney Griffen in March and only found out it was going to be removed in the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend on Saturday.

The 48-year-old said he has been going to that spot under the pohutukawa tree for years and that it was a special place for him.

"It's in a great position where you can see the Mount hill and look back down to Maketu, the islands and all that," Mr Currie said.

"I was a bit bummed out that the council were going to take it away. It would have been sad to see it destroyed."

He said it was where he went during some rough periods in his life - when he was in a rut, going nowhere.

"I've known that spot for probably 10-12 years and I'd go down there occasionally and sit there before the chair was even built.

"When I'm down and out I go there and sit down and watch the sea."

Mr Currie, who is a bricklayer and a landscaper, was born and bred in the area and still lives in Mount Maunganui.

He said it took him and Mr Griffen about two weeks to build the sofa, working on it in their spare time.

They walked along the beach at the Matata Straights collecting driftwood and did the same at beaches all the way down to Whakatane Heads before driving back and putting it all together.

"I just hope that the council come to an agreement with us, it would be a waste to take it away. It's not damaging the sand dunes or anything like that. It's all made out of driftwood, which comes from the beach anyway," Mr Currie said.

He has contacted local resident Lois Hemsley, who visits the beach almost every day and is asking for the seat to be left "for the enjoyment of all".

The 75-year-old contacted the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend last week when she found out the sofa was going to be removed and said the locals she had spoken to about it were disappointed.

"It is unique to Mount Maunganui. Anyone can tie jandals on fences or put locks on bridges, as I have seen in other parts of the world, but this is our own local unique piece of functional art for the enjoyment of all."

Mr Currie had heard that a lot of people were going down to that same spot and using the seat, including some of his friends and their kids.

"It's for everyone," he said, "we basically built it for everyone".

Tauranga City Council parks and recreation manager Mark Smith said on Friday that over a number of years they had been working hard to restore the dunes at all of Tauranga's beaches back to their natural state, "which includes removing structures and encroachments".

"The dunes are a conservation area. Any structures there require a resource consent, as going through the process would mitigate any negative environmental impacts."

The council confirmed that they had ordered the removal of the structure, which was on Marine Parade halfway between Sutherland and Grove avenues.