Abandoned Service Station
I found this abandoned service station in Upper Hutt, Wellington a couple of weeks ago…
Rolleiflex 2.8 E, Ilford HP5+ 400 ISO Film, CanoScan 9000F Scanner.
Kau Point aka Underground Ruin
Constructed in 1891 to support Wellington’s main coastal defense site at Fort Ballance, the Kau Point Battery is a rare remaining example of an unmodified battery constructed to protect New Zealand from attack after the second Russian scare of 1885.
During the first World War, Fort Dorset became Wellington’s main bastion of defense against attack. Despite this, Fort Ballance and its supporting batteries remained operational throughout the War. In 1922 the gun at Kau Point was decommissioned and removed. The site was then used solely as an ammunition store, and from 1942 served the new emplacement at Mount Crawford Anti Aircraft Battery on the next promontory of the peninsula. The fort fell into disuse after the Second World War and, now surplus to army requirements, is not maintained. (http://www.historic.org.nz/TheRegister/RegisterSearch/RegisterResults.aspx?RID=7542)
I have been looking for this one for a while as its the last fortification in the Wellington region that I haven’t been to… Lets just say that it didn’t let me down.
The entrance (not the best photo but have still got to develop the other films) is a small hole just behind the pit where the disappearing gun sat is the only entrance but after you have slid down it opens out to full height tunnels and rooms.
The still glowing glow-stick meant that someone had been there in the not to distant past and it certainly had an eerie feeling especially the side room that had obviously had a fire and then been written all over…
All shots were taken with a tripod and a 10W torch 🙂
Nikon D70s,Tokina 19-35mm Lens, ISO 200, 10W Torch
Erskine
Another exploration with Fergus. This time Erskine College out in Island Bay.
Unfortunately Fergus was a bit cagey about what we were going to shoot so all I had with me was my Rollei and the RZ with a 180mm and Pan F 50 ISO Film. I would have loved to have the F5 with a 19mm but I made the most of what I had and we will definitely have to go back and shoot it again.
Erskine College closed in 1985 and while parts are still used for function rooms and the cathedral most of it is in disrepair.
Rolleiflex 2.8 E, Ilford Hp5+ 400 ISO Film, Mamiya RZ67, 180mm f4.5 Lens, Ilford Pan F+ 50 ISO Film, CanoScan 9000F Scanner.
Return To The Abandoned Fever Hospital
These shots are from the second trip to the abandoned Fever hospital (The images from the first trip are HERE)
The light was much more subdued this time and being able to shoot wide with the 50mm on 6×7 (28mm equivalent) was pretty cool.
Cant wait to go back after dark sometime and splash some light around 🙂
Mamiya RZ67, 50mm f4.5 and 180mm f4.5, Ilford HP5+ 400 ISO Film, CanoScan 9000F Scanner
Darkhalide Photography 
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