Iconic red elephant sculpture moved to Northland after Thai restaurant closes

Red Elephant Thai Restaurant owner Abdul Bashota (at back) and his staff farewelled the elephant sculpture from Khyber Pass Rd in Auckland.

The iconic red elephant sculpture that reigned over Auckland’s longest-running Thai restaurant will see out its days on a coastal Northland property after the restaurant’s demise.

The Red Elephant restaurant on Khyber Pass Rd in Newmarket is closing after nearly 40 years in business, having become the latest victim of the flatlining economy.

After two decades of eating there for business meetings, loyal Northland customer Peter Harris offered to give the elephant sculpture a new home at his place in Langs Beach.

Harris and son Jared Kirby lifted it onto a trailer by boat haulage at 4am on Friday, then drove it north, guided by a pilot vehicle. The trip took five hours as they had to stay off the motorways.

The sculpture will sit at the entrance to Harris’ driveway, which is shared with two neighbours.

“They think it’s a bit of humour; a huge red elephant on a coastal section,” Harris said.

“It’s a magnificent sculpture and I didn’t want it to sit in a yard somewhere and deteriorate. It needed to be on show.

“At the entrance, it can be enjoyed by a lot of people.”

The restaurant, previously known as Chang Thong, which was established in 1988, will be serving its last meals in August or September.

Owner Abdul Bashota said he was sad to close after running the restaurant since taking it over in 1991.

“With the cost of living and high rent, l’ve never found it harder to run a business than now. It’s very tough.

“That’s my baby, 33 years I spent there, I rely on my regulars, and I have had lots of support.

“So many people are sad about me going.”

Peter Harris and his son Jared drove the red elephant from Khyber Pass in Auckland at 4am on Friday. It is now at Langs Beach.

Bashota said he and former business partner Nomal commissioned Whangārei artist Harmen Hielkema to create the sculpture when he took over the restaurant and changed its name.

The elephant, which is over four metres high and weighs 1.5 tonnes, is made with a welded steel armature with layers of galvanised chicken netting and rendered with a mixture of ferro-cement and papier mâché.

Bashota is happy the sculpture has found a good home in Northland.

“I really love it because Peter is my good friend and customer, and I would love it to stay in someone’s property so that I can one day take my grandchildren to see it.”

Hielkema, who was involved in creating many public sculptures in the early 1990s, said he was delighted the red elephant had been moved north.

“I looked through my archives and found the original photos of the sculpture being built.

“I made two huge elephant sculptures at the time, and both have ended up moving north with the other one in a sculpture garden in the Hokianga.”

The 1.5-tonne elephant sculpture being positioned outside the Red Elephant restaurant in Auckland in 1991. Photo / Harmen Hielkema

The other elephant sculpture – a lifesize model of a female Asian elephant named Sati – was originally made for Auckland Zoo.

She was placed in the children’s area and then shifted to the entrance, where she fell prey to vandals and was eventually removed.

Hielkema later recovered Sati and restored her. The sculpture was then bought by Louis “Puzzleman” Toorenburg for his sculpture garden in Hokianga.

Harris said he was sure his neighbours would come to love the red elephant, which he has named Abdul in honour of his restaurant owner friend.

“A lot of people in Auckland probably did not like the Sky Tower before it went up, but would not be without it now.”

The Red Elephant is the longest-running Thai eatery in Auckland city.

In 2020, the second oldest, Mai Thai, closed down after being severely hit by the Auckland City Rail Link construction and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.