A large metal dragon that mysteriously appeared at Mount Maunganui’s Pilot Bay has mysteriously vanished – but possibly not for good.

The 1.2m sculpture, perched atop a 1.5-tonne rock, was placed without fanfare at the corner of Commons Ave and The Mall by residents Graham and Carol Foote.

Despite technically breaching council bylaws, the eye-catching installation drew admiration from the community.

The couple said the council had been surprisingly supportive and allowed them time to try and find a more suitable location.

“The dragon is having its new nest organised,” said owner Graham Foote, hinting that a new home is in the works for the beloved beast.

While at Pilot Bay, the sculpture captured the public’s imagination, prompting a wave of affection and calls to “save the dragon”.

Tauranga Deputy Mayor and Mount Maunganui ward councillor Jen Scoular said she was heartened by the response.

“I like that our people have got behind it,” Scoular said. “Lots of the texts I received said that it’s lovely in tough times to have something that makes them smile.

“It sounds like there are a couple of great options to keep the dragon at the Mount but move her to a more acceptable spot, where hopefully we can still smile when we go past her.”

Tauranga Deputy Mayor and Mount Maunganui ward councillor Jen Scoular with the dragon before it disappeared from Commons Ave. Photo / Brydie Thompson.

The sculpture’s surprise appearance even sparked creativity among neighbours.

Commons Ave resident Ngaire Blackburn said she and her husband Lionel were delighted by the dragon’s sudden arrival.

“We live in Commons Ave and were very surprised and delighted when the dragon first appeared,” said Blackburn.

“We thought it was a lot of fun. Just seeing it down there and looking at it just made you feel happy. And other people I spoke to too said the same. With everything so dismal it’s nice to have something cheerful.”

Lionel, a poet, was inspired to write a whimsical verse titled “The Commons Ave Dragon”. One stanza reads:

“As dragons go, he looks quite fierce,

A little bit scary but ever so sweet.

Not one you would want loose in your garden,

But nice enough if well trained and well fed.”

Blackburn added that while they would have liked the dragon to stay where it was, they understood the council’s concerns about safety, particularly for children.

In a further show of community engagement, the Footes offered a $100 prize in a “Name the Dragon” competition, with readers submitting 38 entries to The Weekend Sun. After a staff vote, the winning name was “Toa Ahi” – meaning “fire warrior” or “firefighter” in te reo Māori.

The winning entry came from Wendy Turton, a local dog trainer and owner of Tauranga’s Canine Academy.

“I was thinking that dragons breathe fire, and I knew ‘ahi’ is fire in Māori,” said Turton. “It’s been quite a battle to keep the dragon, so I thought ‘fire warrior’ would be cool.”

Turton, who has a background in USAR Search Dogs, SPCA work, dog behaviour and obedience training, also drew inspiration from the animated film How to Train Your Dragon.

“As a dog trainer, that movie really resonates. In the movie they train your dragon for battle.”