MAY 22, 2026 — A local designer and flag enthusiast has launched a new community flag for the Māpua and Ruby Bay areas in the Tasman District of New Zealand, says Top South Now.
Andrew Damerham, a resident of Māpua for nearly two decades and a former art appreciation teacher, designed the emblem, which he has named the Sun Flag, Te Rā.
The initiative represents a private effort rather than an official government designation, as only a small number of New Zealand cities and districts possess formally recognized flags.
The flag features a yellow sun against a blue background, intended to symbolize the region’s high sunshine hours, orchards, vineyards, and coastline.
The lower half contains a golden V-shape representing Tasman Bay, intersected by six alternating blue and white stripes that signify local maritime communities, including Māpua, Ruby Bay, Kaiteriteri, Marahau, Motueka, and Nelson.
Damerham noted that these stripes reference the wavy lines on the Nelson regional flag, stating that “but we’ve made ours calm.”
Damerham credited Wally Bruce of Marahau and Neville Peat of Otago, both of whom previously established local flags in their respective regions, for providing guidance during the design process.
Image: Top South Now
