Weaving a new web for Dale

Dale, the Avondale Spider statue, a well-known local identity owned by the Avondale Business Association, is currently sited in an area that will become the new Avondale town square adjacent to Te Hono, the new Avondale Library & Community Hub. 

These new facilities are part of the regeneration of Avondale to support the needs of this growing community and help the Avondale town centre thrive. 

Dale has been part of the Avondale community for many years and has enjoyed a couple of locations around the town centre during his lifetime, the petrol station and more recently the town square. With construction due to begin in early 2025 for the town square and Te Hono, Dale the Avondale Spider statue will be on the move again.  

Given his age Dale is due a little TLC, so when the time comes to remove him from his current site to allow works to begin, we expect this will be a good opportunity for Dale to take a break to receive some much-needed repairs.   As to where Dale’s new home could be, it’s been great to see so many in the community come forward with suggestions for possible sites recently and the Avondale Business Association will consider a new location for Dale at the appropriate time.   

Avondale spider 

Delena cancerides Walckenaer 
(Araneae: Sparassidae) 

The large harmless spider found around the Avondale area of Auckland is an Australian huntsman spider. This spider found its way to New Zealand in the early 1920s, with the first specimen found in 1924. It probably came in imported wood used for railway sleepers. It has not spread very far from Avondale, so it has received the popular name of Avondale Spider. In South Australia this species is quite common, and people encourage them to live in their houses to keep the pest insect population down. 

Source: Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research