In 1984 the Wellington Civic Trust ran a competition to find a solution to the separation of the city from the harbour. The City to Sea Bridge, connecting the waterfront and Civic Square, was judged to be the answer. The bridge was designed by Rewi Thompson and John Grey, and Paratene Matchitt was commissioned to create the sculptures that decorate it. On top of the bridge are two birds with their wings open in a gesture of welcome, and nearby are two timber whales representing the taniwha Ngake and Whātaitai who, according to legend, were responsible for shaping Wellington Harbour.
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