National Erebus Memorial: Some families 'will love it', others have 'got on with it'

Tuesday, 18 June 2019

Sisters Janene Meikle, left, and Rochelle Stevenson lost their father Tony Stevenson in the Erebus disaster.

For some families, the National Erebus Memorial will help them reflect on their loss, for others, they have 'just got on with it'.

Picton hairdresser Rochelle Stevenson is the daughter of Antony (Tony) Stevenson, who was a passenger aboard TE901 return flight to Antarctica in 1979.

The chosen design was created by Wellington firm Studio Pacific Architecture and features a walkway projecting to the horizon.

Tony perished along with the other 256 passengers when the plane crashed into Mt Erebus - the worst aviation disaster in the Southern Hemisphere.

Along with the family members of all other Erebus victims, Stevenson was contacted about the National Erebus Memorial in Auckland's Parnell Rose Gardens, to commemorate 40 years since the tragedy. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage reached out for feedback on the memorial, and this week requested that family members check a list of names for correction.

There will be a small gathering for the 40th anniversary in November, ahead of the official opening in May 2020.

Family members of Erebus victims have been asked to provide feedback for the memorial's design.

* Concept designs for Auckland memorial of Mt Erebus air disaster released

* Memorial site for Mt Erebus crash victims proposed for Parnell Rose Gardens in Auckland**

Although she believed Erebus would be 'forever remembered' as an important part of New Zealand's history, 40 years had passed, Stevenson said.

'To tell the honest truth, I haven't been following it that much,' she said.

'I think because it is New Zealand's biggest air disaster, it is important for families - and some families, yes, they love it.'

'Other families, they just get on with it, and I think we're one of those families that just get on with it.'

Stevenson said her brothers in Auckland provided feedback to the ministry in the memorial's earlier stages of development, which began in 2017. They also put their father's preferred name 'Tony' down for the inscription.

'I kind of left it to them, really,' Stevenson said.

The ministry said there would be a small gathering for the 40th anniversary in November (ahead of its official opening in May 2020), but Stevenson likely won't attend. She might visit the National Erebus Memorial one day, if she's in Auckland and has the time.

'I think they could have just given us a park bench and we could have put it somewhere special,' Stevenson said.

'That was my suggestion, give all the families a park bench and they can put it somewhere special, with a wee plaque on it. That could have been nice, 257 park benches all over New Zealand.'

At the beginning of the week, the ministry for culture and heritage put out a list of names to the public, and encouraged family members to get in touch if there were any errors.

The Ministry for Culture and heritage Chief Executive Bernadette Cavanagh said the memorial, called Te Paerangi Ataata - Sky Song, was in the 'developed design phase'.

'A strong desire from family members, and indeed a prominent feature of the chosen design, was for the names of those who died to be inscribed on the memorial,' Cavanagh said.

'Erebus remains one of New Zealand's worst accidents. This memorial will go some way in reflecting the loss felt by family and friends of the passengers and crew, as well as the impact on the nation.'

The chosen design, unveiled in April this year, was created by Wellington firm Studio Pacific Architecture and featured a walkway projecting to the horizon.

Ministry of culture and heritage memorial manager Brodie Stubbs said there were a number of smaller, or private memorials around the country, but nothing to the scale of the National Erebus Memorial.

'It's a significant memorial,' Stubbs said. 'It's the first time there will be all the names of those that died inscribed on a memorial in one place.'

Anyone wishing to view the list of names or provide feedback can visit the Ministry for Culture and Heritage website.