Two of the Dargaville sign creators after erecting the sign pointing to their hometown at Cape Reinga on October 2
Two of the Dargaville sign creators after erecting the sign pointing to their hometown at Cape Reinga on October 2
It was done as prank, for a bit of laugh — like many good ideas dreamt up over a few beers — and it certainly worked.
The man behind the Dargaville sign that mysteriously popped up on the world-famous signpost at Te Rerenga Wairua/ Cape Reinga has come forward toexplain why he, and three mates, took the action that put the Kaipara’s main centre on the world map.
It has also been shared on numerous social media sites including the Dargaville Grapevine page, where it has created a buzz.
The widespread reaction - mainly people having a laugh at the sign addition - has amazed the man behind the prank, but he says that’s exactly what he hoped would happen.
‘’It was done as a bit of a laugh really. We thought it would be a good joke to play and it’s really taken off.’’
The man, who the Advocate has agreed not to name, said he and a mate, were in Taipa in July or August last year when they decided to take at trip to the Cape.
‘’My mate told me there was a sign there pointing to Dargaville on the signpost and I said ‘nah’. So we had a bit of a bet on it and when we got there he lost.
“Then a couple of months later I was back (in Dargaville) — having a few beers — and we started saying, ‘why not, why isn’t Dargaville on there?’ We’d noticed when we were first up that there were a couple of empty brackets on the sign so thought we’d put Dargaville there instead,’’ he said.
So the man found the correct colour of yellow paint needed, checked the dimensions of the signs and font used, and made his Dargaville sign in his garage.
One of these things is not like the other... Close inspection reveals the Dargaville sign is a home-made addition to the Cape Reinga signpost. Photo / Matt Browning
Then, on October 2, he and three mates went to the Cape to erect their sign.
He had hoped that by making it look as authentic as possible — he even sprayed a protective coating on to guard it from the harsh elements at the Cape and he’s guaranteed it for 10 years too — that it would escape attention and be not taken down.
He credits that preparation work with ensuring that it was not really noticed, and made a deal of, until this week.
‘’We did it really just as a bit of fun and to have a laugh. It was ironically poking fun at ourselves that we did for a bit of a giggle — and a lot of people have had a bit of a giggle about it now.’’
The friends all love their town and were wanting to give it a bit of promotion at the same time. But, he’s worried that the publicity may make ‘the fun police’ remove the sign.
‘’Whoever removes it will be classed as the fun police. It’s made a lot of fun for a lot of people and it would be a shame to take that away. It’s probably the most inoffensive piece of vandalism that’s ever been done.’’
And it may not be the end of Dargaville signs popping up where they shouldn’t be.
The Northern Advocate pointed out that there was no Dargaville sign on the sign at Bluff, at the other end of the country, but he had already thought of that.
‘’I’ve got a mate on Stewart Island who is scoping out the Bluff sign for me - and one day, you just never know.’’
The Dargaville sign, now in situ at Cape Reinga, was made in a Dargaville garage
Matt Browning, from Rotorua, may not have been the first visitor to spot the Dargaville patriot’s handiwork but he was the first to bring it to national attention via his Instagram page this week.
Browning said the cheeky addition summed up all that was great about New Zealand.
‘’I love it. I’ve travelled a lot but there’s something about the Kiwi attitude, the cheekiness. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.’’
‘’It’s quirky and fun that someone has said, ‘I think Dargaville should be on the map, and I’m going to see to it myself’. I think it speaks to the best of New Zealand really.’’
Browning said the sign was so well made it took a keen eye to notice it was out of place. He spotted it only because he worked a lot with fonts so he realised there was something peculiar about the ‘G’ in Dargaville.
On closer inspection, it turned out that was because the Dargaville sign, unlike the others, had been meticulously hand-painted. The sign has also been further embellished with a white note pointing the way to ‘Trev’s’.
