Kaikoura quake cows memorialised on mini golf course

Kaikoura's quake cows - the heroic land-surfing bovines who survived November's magnitude 7.8 earthquake - have been memorialised in a rather unique way.

The mini golf course at Kaikoura's Emporium complex now features a new sculpture at the second hole, depicting the three cows perched on the grassy knoll that saved them from a huge landslip.

Emporium's owner Paul Finney says they were repairing damage after the quake and decided it was the right time to update the feature at the second hole.

"It [used to be] a margarine container or something that I think was supposed to be like the observatory on the hill," he said.

"When we saw the cows, we thought it would be a good way to remember one of the more light-hearted stories from the early days of the quake."

He says they chiselled out some concrete to make it look like a slip, and added some astroturf and plastic toy cows.

With the mini golf course officially open again and State Highway 1 south of Kaikoura also expected to reopen on Wednesday, Mr Finney says he's looking forward to seeing more visitors.

"We rely on them - it's like it went back to winter after the quake.

"There are signs so far of more people in town - there are more people out walking and more campervans on the road."

Emporium is part of a beer festival on Christmas Eve called Kegs for Kaikoura - great beer for a good cause, Mr Finney says.

The festival will sell a variety of donated craft beers, with the proceeds going to earthquake relief in the town.

Newshub.