Artwork by students from Ashburton College has been used to create three special star signs at a Matariki viewing platform at the Rakaia Gorge.

The viewing platform and nearby new public toilets were built by Council, with some help through a grant from Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund. The environmentally-friendly toilets have been open for business at the gorge since just before Christmas and the viewing platform was officially blessed and opened this week.

The platform looks downstream to the Rakaia River, affording view across the plains and to the Southern Alps. The signs help people find the Matariki star cluster in the night sky, with one of the panels providing its own special star light.

Mayor Neil Brown said the new toilets were already being well used and the dryvault system ensured waste was retained and removed, which was  important in keeping waste away from the river.

“The viewing platform is a real credit to all those who worked on it. It has access for those who are less able or are in wheelchairs and the interpretive signs tell the Matariki story and why it is important to us.

“Tourists and regular visitors will find it a treat to look out over the river or up at the sky.”

The area around the toilets has been resealed and there are now more car parking spaces, new picnic tables and plantings.

A star gazing seat allows visitors to lie back and see the sky. New storage has been created for the Rakaia Gorge Society, whose members maintain the grounds.

Mayor Brown said the new facilities and improvements provided a visitor experience worth of the location, which was a popular gateway site to the district on the inland scenic route.

The students' artwork was previously on display at an exhibition at the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum.

The site was blessed by Tewera King, Ūpoko of Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua.