The peal of church bells was heard around the city at 1pm yesterday to herald the return of the first albatross to Taiaroa Head, after confusion over funding the event was resolved.
Earlier this week it was thought the bells would not be rung, as there was not money in the Dunedin City Council's budget to offer as a donation to the bell-ringers.
However, St Paul's Cathedral Dean the Very Rev Dr Trevor James said the cathedral had always intended to ring the bells once informed of the first albatross arriving home, and "the question of payment was not a consideration".
First Church's co-ordinator of bell-ringers, Nick Phillips, said they usually received a donation for change-ringing the bells, which was appreciated, but they would have gone ahead working the bell-ropes whether or not money was forthcoming.
Dunedin City Council events manager Marilyn Anderson said an anonymous donor, a resident of Dunedin, had made arrangements for a donation to the First Church bell-ringers.
