1985: Silent Signature
January 25, 2025
By AHNZ
40 Years ago today in history, 25 January, 1985, Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World opened to the public for the first time.
What a joy. Good video clip here from SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium (what? Are they phasing his name out of the company title?)
Tarlton had about 2 months to live when Underwater World opened. He re-purposed disused government sewage storage tanks along Tamaki Drive. Turned them from something disgusting into something beautiful. A great commercial achievement in itself not to mention an act of discipline to have navigated all those politicians and come out with what he wanted.
Born in 1937 Kelly was, of course, a Pheonix Generation New Zealander. AKA Silent Generation. They came of age just too late to be war heroes and too early to be Hippies. They are well suited to be softly spoken professionals and technicians; Builders¹ of the infrastructure most of us take for granted in New Zealand today. In many cases we are still using that infrastructure and it’s all we can do to maintain it. Never mind rivaling it or bettering it. For example, the Auckland Harbour Bridge (1959) was made by adults of this generation.
Edmund Hillary and, later, Tarlton were giants this generation.
The standard Phoenix Generation uniform, for a man, was short-sleeve shirts, walk shorts, and knee-length socks. If formality was called for then a tie was added to this. Handy equipment on the belt too. Deep, functional, pockets. A few pens in the top breast pocket. 10x This and you have a Scoutmaster.
“If anything was possible, Kelly would do it. If something wasn’t working, Kelly would fix it. If a wreck or any other marine object was somewhere on the sea floor, Kelly would find it.”- Roger Grace
All the men who landed on the moon, eg. Neil Armstrong were members of the Silent Generation. For want of a space program the Kiwis climbed up Everest, into Antarctica, and under the waves. Our Silent Generation Seeker, Tarlton, did one better and brought his marine world to us as his last great signature.
He died 17 March 1985.
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1 In Australian history this Artist Generation are called the Builders
Note: “Now owned by Blackstone who is owned by Blackrock and Vanguard” – Michael Bublitz to AHNZ
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