Wellington

Hawkes Bay

'Driveby' shot on the way out of Hawkes Bay.

Wanganui

Motorway house, Petone (Hutt Valley)

This house was amazing, a friend found it advertised as
'free for removal'. It perched high on a cliff above the motorway. Access was by sharp sudden turn up a steep and rutted gravel road.

Walking up there felt quite surreal, it was surrounded by bush and felt like it was miles away from anywhere, yet in reality the seaside town of Petone was close, we could see the traffic whizzing by down below.
It had been empty for a while, but had been in the beginning stages of renovation at some point, there were building materials in the front room and it was well kept inside, with beautiful character features. Due to it's isolated location it hadn't been vandalised, even though the door was open. It was an elegant house even in it's neglected state.

I was overcome by a solemn feeling while we were there, after I sat on a bed in a dark back room and we joked around taking pseudo-ghost pictures (top right)
I sometimes get washes of melancholy in abandoned places, they can carry a sense of desolation and loneliness.

My camera had a low battery, hence the lack of exterior shots.
Unfortunately the house was gone next time my friend and I went there- just a concrete slab and some scraps of wood remained.
It would have been the most amazing location to live in, sweeping ocean views and bush all around, no neighbours except the native birds.
I hope the owner isn't planning a sterile subdivision where this gem of an old house once stood.

Motorway house

Newtown house

This house has been boarded and locked up now, which is unfortunate as people obviously used it as a crashpad.
It would once have been a really nice house- two bedrooms at the front, a large kitchen/dining area at the back; Character fireplaces, wood stove in the kitchen and an Apple tree in the back garden.
It's a shame the owner obviously doesn't care about it.
It had a nice feeling inside, and beautiful old furniture, there was a lovely old sideboard in the kitchen with a dusty selection of old plates.
The kitchen and hallway were piled with scraps of wood, it looked like someone had come in and ripped up the walls with a crowbar, The bathroom was completely dismantled with a torn up floor.
I didn't add the image I have of the toilet...It was a shocker!

Newtown house