Kiwis build Games' stage sets

New Zealanders' penchant for making the Aussies look good at the Commonwealth Games is not only confined to the sporting arena.

The spectacular 7850sqm stage for the opening and closing ceremonies was designed, engineered and project managed by a group of Kiwis, who are at the leading edge of some of the world's biggest set designs.

The Commonwealth Games ceremonial stage has for the past year been project-managed by former Hamilton man Chris Beehan, with a little help from his New Zealand-born boss Ian Barclay.

Mr Beehan said key members of the construction team were also from New Zealand.

Construction manager Tim Cody was from Timaru, while lead carpenters Bruce McKinlay, Lui Alefosio, and Jason Marable hailed from Hamilton, Auckland and Invercargill respectively.

The group work for Sydney company Edwin Shirley Staging, or ESS Australia.

For the past year Mr Beehan has been the brains behind the stage design for the Games, a multimillion- dollar contract.

Since he began in 1996 - putting up scaffolding for a Blur concert in London - Mr Beehan has created sets for Madonna, Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Eminem, Robbie Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Santana, Paul McCartney and Brian Adams.

Last October he moved from his base in Sydney to Melbourne to take hands-on control of the Commonwealth Games project.

"The big white structure on the ground at opening night was ours - it's the largest stage ever built. The bridge they walked in on we also designed, engineered, and built.

"It was pretty emotional sitting there watching it all unfold on the night ... I missed the New Zealand team walking in - I was racing around trying to get my girlfriend in."

But Mr Beehan made up for that by attending the sevens to watch the team win gold.