Giant robot rises from spare parts | Oamaru News | Local News in Oamaru

A steampunked robot that stands more than three metres high is about to be let loose on Oamaru.

For 10 weeks volunteers have been building the "Mech-Warrior", based on a computer gaming character. It will be big enough for someone to sit inside.

It has been created by League of Victorian Imagineers co-ordinator Iain Clark, Smash Palace owner Geoff Omnet, local artist Lisa Storhannus and Oamaru man Graeme Paton.

Mr Clark asked Mr Omnet if they could use scrap vehicle parts for a steampunk project. Not only did Mr Omnet provide materials but he let them build the robot on his Meek St site.

Mr Clark said Smash Palace had been helpful from the start.

"We had to construct it in separate bits and pieces and on Sunday we welded it all together," he said.

"Now we can add more and more steampunk elements."

Smash Palace will own the robot, but Mr Omnet said the project was a collaboration: "I have heaps of bits (vehicle parts), but not much imagination."

He had been happy to be involved in a steampunk project and felt the concept was doing wonders for the town. Many people were stopping to have a look and the interest was "incredible".

He wasn't sure where the robot would be displayed, but it was so big it would need to be moved by forklift. "Watch this space," he said.

Steampunk has been described as a retro-futuristic neo-Victorian sensibility embraced by fiction, music, games, and fashion.