Victoria soon ready for reunion with Albert

Conservator Jim Gwinner at work on the bronze statue of Queen Victoria. Picture / Dean Purcell

Queen Victoria is almost ready to return to Auckland's Albert Park after her first tidy-up in more than a century.

The bronze statue of the British monarch, who ruled from 1837 to 1901, has been in the hands of conservationists since early last month.

Elizabeth Yuda, who is heading the conservation project, said the Queen would be back by the middle of next month at the latest. The statue, unveiled in 1899, was removed because of "bronze disease", a chemical problem that causes deterioration.

"It's been put into a large acrylic booth and the outer layer of corrosion is being removed with micro balloons," said Ms Yuda.

The restoration is costing Auckland City Council between $20,000 and $30,000 - "pretty cheap", said Ms Yuda, given the statue's age.

Once the statue is back in Albert Park, the council hopes to have it treated annually to prevent corrosion and soiling.

"There are quite a lot of photos of Albert Park with her in it," said Ms Yuda.

"The head had been knocked off by vandals once before and then reattached. It's an iconic statue."