Burnt Place

Hawera, Taranaki, NZ, June 2012: Another fire gutted building, this time in the town I grew up in, Hawera. The town has seen many major fires over the years, in pre-colonial times and during the early days of “Pakeha” settlement in particular. This led to the building of Hawera’s iconic concrete water tower. The Maori […]

Arson

Taita, Wellington, NZ, last week: I’ve noticed a few fire gutted houses around the place recently. Spotted the remains of this place last week. A quick google search (confirmed by google maps), found that police suspect this house had been burgled prior to being set alight….

Dorset

Seatoun, Wellington, October 2011: Fort Dorset battery was a former coastal artillery station, built to defend the entrance to Wellington Harbour from a possible naval attack. Construction began prior to the First World War- it was occupied and operational through both wars and up untill the mid 1950’s.

PTA Pt.1

Patea, Taranaki, NZ, December 2011: The Historic former Patea Hospital (c.1880) still stands in it’s dilapidated state, 22 years after its closure. When the hospital finally closed its doors on December the 5th 1990, it had served the Patea District for over century. Locals have been complaining for years about the eyesore, demanding the […]

For Sale

Greytown, Wairarapa, NZ, April 2012: The long-derelict former Greytown Hospital is up for sale. Buildings on the historic 1.5 hectare site date back to 1890 and followed the old Florence Nightingale open-ward plan. Most of the asbestos has now been removed and the main building earthquake strengthened. The hospital (which closed in 1995) had originally […]

Hotel du Commerce

Limoges, France, 2004: This hotel in Limoges had seen better days. Here’s to good times ahead for France… Nous ne manquerons pas vous Sarkozy- félicitations et bonne chance Hollande!

The Clinic Pt.1

Wellington, NZ, March 2012: A former nurses home and later a ‘clinic’, this building is just another one of many recently condemned buildings around Wellington for being earthquake prone. No surprises really after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that devastated our South island Capital of Christchurch on February 22nd last year- claiming 185 lives… Canon EOS […]

Skate Park

Newtown, Wellington NZ, March 2012: Found this abandoned skate park behind the Wellington hospital recently. Easily the most forlorn looking playground of sorts I’ve come across- I think…A week or so later I went back for another look- the sound of a skakeboard meant it wasn’t so abandoned after all…

BMW

Bulls, Manawatu, Whanganui, March 2012: Clocked this place in Bulls– something just didn’t look quite right… I backed up the car and took a couple of shots…