Iconic Coromandel Visionary Barry Brickell Passes Away

We wish to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to family and friends of Coromandel icon, Barry Brickell, who passed away peacefully on Saturday.

"Mr Brickell was a visionary in tourism, arts and crafts and the environment who made an outstanding contribution to the Coromandel and will be sadly missed," said Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Glenn Leach.

Mr Brickell packed a lot into his 80 years, making his mark as a potter, railway builder, conservationist and author, creating internationally renowned pottery in his studio in Driving Creek, just outside of Coromandel Town.

In order to bring clay from the higher reaches of his property down the hills to his studio where he could work it into the thousands of unique pieces of pottery he created, he spent 33 years building a narrow-gauge railway.

To help cover the costs, he opened it to the public and his Driving Creek Railway became a firm fixture for visitors and Coromandel residents alike.

And on his large hillside property he planted thousands of native trees and shrubs and created a predator-free sanctuary.

"Barry Brickell brought a tremendous creative drive to everything he did, from his pottery to his railway and also his many local social contributions," says Mayor Glenn Leach.

"His artwork and his railway have been of great cultural and economic benefit not only to the Coromandel but to the whole nation."

"Barry was also highly respected by his local Coromandel community including Iwi for his generous support through donations and social contributions to the local area including personally initiating and funding the provision of milk to the Coromandel Area School and being a funder of Kiwi Can programmes amongst many others."

"Barry will be greatly missed particularly within his local community but his life works and achievements remain as a lasting legacy and huge contribution to the Coromandel's environment, culture and well-being."

Mr Brickell was born in New Plymouth in 1935 and grew up in Auckland. He developed his passion for pottery at an early age but studied science at university before, briefly, becoming a teacher in Coromandel Town. He had a lifelong fascination with railways which is reflected in his unique tourist attraction Driving Creek Railway.

He soon left teaching to become a full-time potter and in 1974 he purchased the property at Driving Creek where his railway and pottery studio now stand.

Besides throwing pots and sculpting clay, Mr Brickell was a talented kiln maker.

In 1988 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to pottery.

He wrote several books on pottery and on the Driving Creek Railway. His pottery has been collected by art galleries, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and is also on display in parliament buildings.

ENDS

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