Iconic competition

Northland builder Iain Cathcart’s Hobbit-inspired letterbox has been named the quirkiest in the country in a competition run by Kaukapakapa nursery owners David and Geraldine Bayly. The concrete sculpture topped with white, New Zealand native libertia plants took out the top spot in the national competition this week. Cathcart said he was inspired by artist Vincent Van Gogh. “Remember, Van Gogh said: ‘If you ever needed inspiration, look at nature’,” Cathcart said. Bayly said they wanted to run the letterbox project this year as letterboxes were becoming less used as people and businesses communicated more by email. “I can’t help but wonder if the iconic New Zealand letter box will soon be a thing of the past. Maybe a few more interesting letterboxes around the countryside will help keep the excitement of going out to the letterbox alive for another generation.” Other entries included letterboxes that were knitted, tiled and made from old bike parts.