A Mason Road resident, Troy Duthie, is frustrated that the area's controversial new power poles have now become a blank canvas for unwanted graffiti.

The 21 metre high poles along Findley Road, East Road, Mill Road South, Mason Rd and George Road are part of PowerNet's Awarua 66kV line upgrade, which was completed in August this year.

The project angered residents at the time who felt they hadn't been properly consulted.

They also raising safety concerns around the proximity of the large poles to the road and feared property values would be adversely affected.

Duthie said people didn't like the poles for a start, but the graffiti had just made it worse.

"The poles are the ideal canvas."

"PowerNet will probably have to come out and clean them, and it just costs everyone money."

Duthie admitted graffiti was one of his pet hates.

"You see graffiti all around town."

"It just makes the whole place look cheap."

"They should try and stop them."

A PowerNet spokesperson said they had been made aware of graffiti on several of the new power poles and this would be cleaned off as soon as possible.

Graffiti and intentional damage does happen occasionally to items like poles, substations and pillar boxes, they said, however - to date - the cost to clean it off had been minimal.

Invercargill City Council Group Manager Community Spaces and Places Rex Capil said it was always extremely disappointing when a minority of people intentionally vandalise and disrespect council’s public properties or spaces, which are there for the enjoyment of the whole community.

Graffiti and intentional damage continued to be an ongoing issue for council, particularly our Parks and Recreation team, he said.

In 2024 twenty-one instances of graffiti, sixteen instances of turf damage, and four instances of wilful damage were recorded at Invercargill and Bluff’s parks and reserves, with a further seven instances of graffiti to council-owned properties over the same period.

Vandalism can result in valuable staff time being used instead to repair the damage, Capil said.

It also results in additional cost to Council and our community for repairs, specialist cleaning, or replacement, he said.