Some Mt Erebus disaster victims family members are welcoming a new proposal to house a memorial in the Auckland suburb of Western Springs after the initial location sparked a bitter battle.
However others are upset by the proposal, calling out what they see as a lack of consultation and saying it adds to their distress.
The Mt Erebus disaster occured in 1979 when Air New Zealand flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica, killing all 257 people on board. It is New Zealand's worst peacetime disaster.
In recent years plans for a national memorial have emerged, with an initial proposal to house it Dove Myer Robinson Park in the inner Auckland suburb of Parnell.
However, the memorial faced fierce disapproval from locals, high profile Māori leader Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish, and some victims family members.
Margaret Brough, who lost her father in the disaster, told Newshub she thought the plan "should have been scrapped from day one".
"I was actually at the Erebus Memorial Service in 2019 when the Prime Minister announced that that was where it was going to be and there were a lot of people at that memorial service and a lot of people stood up and objected to it being there and I certainly didn't want it there.
"It just didn't seem like the right place and then when the locals that live nearby emerged and said they didn't want it there, I thought 'that's it, why would you want a memorial where it's not wanted?'
"With the locals especially, that's their park and they should have a say. And then there's the beautiful pohutukawa tree which could be damaged too so it's not even worth considering putting the memorial there in my mind."
Simon Stokes, who lost his father in the crash, agreed.
"I think it's reasonably easy to see quite quickly why it's not a good spot for it."
Now a new group is proposing an alternative memorial which would be placed in a dedicated park in Auckland's Western Springs suburb.
Erebus Memorial Park Working Group spokesperson Martin Leach said he believes the community will welcome the memorial.
"It’s an important part of our national heritage and a natural fit adjacent to the aviation wing of the Museum for Transport and Technology. It’s also opposite the Meola Reef Reserve which is soon to become one of the many celebrated Auckland destinations. People visiting from out of town would be able to make a full day of it."
The proposed plan incorporates the design which was originally planned for Dove Myer Robinson Park (Te Paerangi Ataatua – Sky Song) and the park would be dedicated to the disaster.
The proposal is being welcomed by Margaret Brough and Simon Stokes.
"Years and years ago I went to MOTAT when it was quite new and I thought 'what a wonderful place'," Bough told Newshub.
"I've been seeing pictures and reading about it and to me it seems like the ideal place now if they are going to carry on and do what they said they were going to do, I say it would be the ideal place for it. I always sort of thought Christchurch was the city that should have it, but if it has to be in Auckland I think this site would be pretty good by the sounds of it."
Stokes said the Western Springs precinct "seems to be a particularly good idea".
"What they are planning, as I understand it, is to tell the whole story and it is quite a story, not just the crash - although it is quite a story in itself - but it's the aftermath and what happened with the inquiry and the accusations and so on and so forth. That's as much a part of the story as the accident itself.
"And as I understand it, that's what they are proposing to do in an area which would be dedicated to it, segregated to the rest of the park. I find that attractive about that."
He said while many family members would prefer the national memorial to be housed in Christchurch, the Western Springs location "does seem to be a reasonably good one in the circumstances".
However other victims' families say the Erebus Memorial Park Working Group doesn't represent them, hasn't consulted them, and they're upset by the added distress its proposal is causing.
"As someone who has lost a loved one aboard the flight I personally know of many family members who are upset by this new self-appointed Erebus Working Party," Lizzie Oakes told Newshub via email.
"We already have an Erebus Working Party and we have been thoroughly consulted by them for the last three years. They have taken into consideration what the majority wanted, 80 percent of us wanted. It's not about a few individuals getting what they want, it is for the wider Erebus community."
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage's deputy chief executive for delivery Tamsin Evans told Newshub they "remain committed" to creating the memorial in Dove Myer Robinson Park, abruptly shutting down the idea.
"We are aware of an area adjacent to MOTAT being suggested as an alternative location. Changing the Memorial location would not be simple or straightforward. It could potentially take years and add additional cost to the taxpayer.
"We don’t want the Erebus whānau to wait any longer. The site in Dove-Myer Robinson Park is the best location for the Erebus Memorial, from the options that were initially considered. It meets clear preferences held by the Erebus families.
"A thorough and rigorous process was followed, including extensive consultation with family and iwi, and all the regulatory approvals are in place. Manatū Taonga will proceed with construction as soon as possible."
The Working Group is hosting an open day on Sunday from 10am - 4pm at the proposed site of 200 Meola Road where it will share the memorial plans and get feedback from the community.
This story has been updated to reflect the new proposal doesn't have the support of all the families.