Tauranga’s Fergusson Park may be known for its scenic views and peaceful atmosphere but, for a group of Ōtūmoetai College mates, the park will forever be linked with a moment of spontaneous fun that found its way online in a most memorable way.

It all started last week when Tauranga Astronomical Society president Dave Greig was browsing Google Street View - a popular feature that lets users explore street-level panoramas from around the world.

Greig, who’s no stranger to digital tools, was revisiting familiar haunts, including the Ōtūmoetai Sports Rugby Club building, which houses the Tauranga Observatory.

Instead of simply reliving past views, Greig noticed something that made him nearly spill his coffee.

“I just about spat my coffee when I discovered this little gem in Fergusson Park,” he said.

What he uncovered was a snapshot that would go on to crack up the locals: four young men standing on the roof of an Isuzu Bighorn, with a fifth person leaning from the back door, all striking a pose for the Google Street View car as it passed by.

The image, taken in September 2024, is a perfect example of “right place, right time” and has since become an internet sensation in the local Matua and Ōtūmoetai Facebook groups after Grieg uploaded a screenshot.

“From the shadows in the Fergusson Park Street View I can estimate that the images were taken around 1.30pm to 2pm,” Greig said.

“These lads were just driving out of the park when they saw the Google car coming in. So, they followed it, parked up and jumped on the roof.”

The result? A priceless, unintentional cameo in Google’s vast, global archive.

The Tauranga group noticed the Google Street View car entering Fergusson Park just as they were exiting. Photo/Google Street View.

But how did this unexpected photo-op happen?

As it turns out, the five friends, led by Jack Crook - who was driving the Isuzu - had just finished a casual lunchtime trip from Ōtūmoetai College to Fergusson Park for ice creams.

What started as a simple hangout turned into an impromptu stunt when they saw the Google Street View car approaching.

“After we finished our ice creams, Jack was going to drop us all off back at college,” Kayden Shanks said. He and his school friends were nearing their final days of Year 13.

The Street View images show the group’s vehicle leaving the park just as the Google Street View car is arriving. One of the five is captured leaning and waving out of the window. The camera then captures the group following the car back into Fergusson Park.

“We saw the car and thought, ‘Why not?’” Crook said. “We figured, ‘Let’s jump on the roof, pose and see what happens!’”

The Tauranga group followed the Google Street View car back into Fergusson Park before parking and posing. Photo/Google Street View.

And happen it did. After a quick turnaround, the group waited for the Street View car to make its way back and, as it passed again, they struck their poses. One friend leaned out the back door, while the others scaled the roof - an unplanned stunt that perfectly aligned with the Street View car’s passing.

“It was perfect timing,” Shanks said. “He went right down to the end of the road [at Fergusson Park]. We waited for about two minutes and then they were there.”

He said the Google Street View driver saw them and appeared to laugh.

The next day, Shanks checked Street View, only to laugh it off as an improbable long shot.

“We thought it wouldn’t pop up,” Shanks said.

Four months passed, and the crew forgot about their antics - until this month, when their photo surfaced on Facebook, sparking a flood of comments from amused locals.

Kayden Shanks, Jack Crook and their three mates posed quickly ready for the Google Street View car as it came past. Photo/Google Street View.

It was Shanks’ mother who first alerted him to the photo’s viral rise.

“She saw it on Facebook and told me about it,” he said, still in disbelief. “We didn’t know it was going to be this big.”

Soon after, Shanks began receiving notifications from friends tagging him in the post. His hair which he had recently bleached was a dead giveaway, with people quickly identifying him in the picture.

“Everyone knew it was me,” he said. “I’m the one with the yellow hair in my school uniform wearing the white T-shirt.”

For Crook, an apprentice at Construction One who had finished work early that day, the photo was a fun, unplanned reminder of his school days with his mates.

“I didn’t realise it would get posted on Facebook,” Crook said. “But hey, it’s pretty funny.”

The group’s Google Street View moment quickly gained momentum online and Shanks, Crook and their friends have been laughing about their unexpected fame ever since.

“It’s a snapshot of us just before leaving school,” Shanks said. “Now we’ll always have that moment.”

As for the future, the friends are moving in different directions. Shanks is heading off to study fashion design at AUT in Auckland, while Crook plans to continue his work in construction. The others are heading into various fields, including joining the army, studying mechanical engineering, and farming.

Despite the different paths, the group remains close-knit.

“We’ll always be catching up,” Shanks said.

The Street View image is just one example of the unexpected - and sometimes hilarious - things that can happen when people cross paths with Google’s camera cars. Across the world, there have been numerous instances of people striking poses, pulling pranks or just happening to be in the right place at the right time.

An Australian teen’s prank has been called ‘legendary’ by online commenters. Photo/ TikTok/ heathy_piip

In 2022, an Australian teenager made waves by pulling off a prank on Google Street View, pretending to be dead on the driveway of his home. With just seconds to come up with a plan, Heath Slater, from Iluka, northern NSW, raced out to his driveway and dropped to the ground, facedown, as he saw the Google Street View car approach. His TikTok has garnered more than 60 million views.

@heathy_piip I’ll update if i make it on streetview 🤞🏼#foryoupage #australia #streetview

Another Australian stunt has been widely hailed online. Pulling on a balaclava and grabbing a nearby axe, Smiley, wearing a singlet, pants and a pair of thongs, shouted at his mate Bruce to start running down the road as the car began to pass. He then gave chase waving the axe overhead. The pair had to wait a few months for Google to upload the Meningie images but decided it was well worth the wait.

South Australian Smiley chased his mate Bruce along the road as the Street View car passed. Photo/Google Street View.

In 2012, a Scottish business owner staged a fake murder in Edinburgh, much to the amusement of internet users worldwide and resulting in an apology to police in 2014 for wasting police time.

A business owner in Edinburgh, Scotland staged a fake murder in 2012. Photo/Google Street View.

As for the lads from Fergusson Park, their brief brush with Street View stardom is a cherished memory - and a source of constant laughter.

Shanks said being photographed together with his friends by Google was a great way to end the year with them.

“It’s a good memory now to look at it and think ‘that’s us just before leaving school’.”

Greig, too, is enjoying the light-hearted moment.

“Thanks for the laugh, guys,” he said, echoing the sentiments of everyone who’s gotten a kick out of the hilarious image.

Their “Google moment” will live on forever captured in pixels, a snapshot of youthful spontaneity for all the world to see.

Google Street View was approached for comment but was unable to respond by deadline.

Caught on the camera on Knightstone Rd, Weston-super-Mare, England in May 2012. Photo/Google Street View.

This person in a horse mask and cozy bathrobe enjoying a banana created this scene for the Street View vehicle in Victoria, British Columbia. Photo/Google Street View.

A flock of pigeon-masked people on a sidewalk in Tokyo. Photo/Google Street View.

A pedestrian in gumboots made a crude gesture in front of Google Street View’s camera on Elgin Terrance, Oban, Stewart Island, New Zealand in April 2015.  Photo/Google Street View.

These two people in Bergen, Norway were dressed up in scuba gear just as the Google Street View car drove by.  Photo/Google Street View.