Iron Ridge Quarry Sculpture Park is nestled against the dramatic landscape of the Waipara Valley wine region, an easy 50-minute drive north of Christchurch City. Raymond purchased the abandoned lime works in 1997, and since then the Quarry has been transformed into a magical wonderland, with Raymond's graceful, strong sculptures set against a carefully curated native garden, all under the shadow of breathtaking limestone hills.  Many artworks both large and small are on display throughout the park.

The property has been planted in native plants and trees creating a perfect setting for people to come and picnic and enjoy the artwork.

Creating the park replicates the same process Raymond goes through creating his sculptures. “It took heaps of work and heaps of time,” Raymond says. “It went on and on and on. But I really loved it. I think you have to be an eternal optimist to do something like this. There were things that were difficult, but I could always find a way of solving a problem.

Raymond Herber lives and works at Iron Ridge Quarry which has been carved out of the hills overlooking North Canterbury’s Waipara Valley. 

Steel and stainless steel are Raymond’s medium of choice and his work encompasses small scale intimate studies of moments suspended in time, whimsical interactive and kinetic pieces as well as large scale private and public sculpture.

The Quarry itself is 13 acres.

Every few years it becomes the scene-stealing venue for a mini-festival that showcases Raymond’s sculpture alongside local music, food and wine.

The workshop, which is filled with steel waiting to be transformed and pieces of machinery that look like medieval torture devices, attracts its own share of interest. (“The blokes love it,”  “They all tell Raymond how lucky he is.”) The workshop, complete with forge, adjoins a gallery space, which in turn sits next to the family’s home.

The Blue House garden is 15 minutes up the road.