West of Sydney is a quaint isolated town nestled in between the mountainous ridges of the Central Tablelands. Settlement was established here primarily for the purpose of coal mining and its proximity to Sydney; this place was also the site of Australia’s first steel mill. The township and its residents have a long-standing affiliation with mining, subsequently developing the reputation of being a “mining town”
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, the centre of town is a ghostly place. As characteristic brick buildings line the main street, one structure more than the others creates an even emptier vibe; a large brick building stands proud, however serving the community no functional purpose at all. This building is known to locals as the Technical College.
Atop the gabled roof the year 1925 adorns the street front.
Interwar architecture in Australia has a unique atmosphere unlike many other off limit structures in the country. It’s difficult to imagine the hardships of this era; the Great Depression, the housing crisis, the decline of the White Australia Policy to compensate post war difficulties in such an isolated society. For such a fresh nation, there was so much was happening at this time. These standard and cost-efficient designs reflect that era; walking these walls you can somewhat feel their stories.
For my first visit, I planned a predawn mission - - the premises lay in the absolute middle of town, and being an outlander I was unfamiliar with how busy this place may get. I overplanned, but predawn missions, outside their commitment to exploring, offer a sense of purity and peace. Watching the sun rise and life unfold around a dormant structure is so unique.
As the sun rose, the interior itself seemed to wake up.
Unfortunately, the later extension to the original 1925 section did not connect to the remainder of the site. So for now, I had to appreaciate the later addition which appeared to be post WW2 which is all too common with Australian buildings.
Later, at another date, the upstairs to the previously explored downstairs extension was opened. This was the least interesting section of the building, and was also tenanted by vagrants. I find photographing squatters living spaces to be immoral, so naturally there are no photos of this.
Boring. I finished the morning with some more photographs of the original timber balconies.
View attachment
As time continued, I noticed security to the site was in total decline. Now, the entire place was left open. Of course, I took advantage of this.
The brightly painted offices were looked a little too photogenic in their emptiness...
Telecommunications commaders, which are not only technologicially outdated but this government owned company doesn't exist anymore, being replaced by the private business Telstra in 1993. The stylish logo (designed by Pieter Huveneers) was also replaced with something less desirable.
This college had a focus on home sciences.
The internal staircase, which was very dark and only lit up after I held the fire escape doors open.
The second level showed signs of quasi-renovations, with original timber doors and windows beind stacked up, only to be smashed to pieces by the recent (or previous) vandal attack.
Slut! Tagging on the wall indicated a recent break in and vandal attack, as someone even marked the date of their destruction being two months ago.
Even the toilet blocks were in their original condition (apologies for the unpleasant processing)
Being in this place brought back many memories. Exploring untouched abandonments out west on hot days in buildings without ventilation, with sweat sliding into my eyes, stinging me. The lifeless roads outside, the distant sounds of birds, wasps crawling on the glass of windows that thankfully act as barriers between myself and serious discomfort… but that unforgiving heat and humidity is something I will never forget. I resonated with this place in an indescribable manner.
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, the centre of town is a ghostly place. As characteristic brick buildings line the main street, one structure more than the others creates an even emptier vibe; a large brick building stands proud, however serving the community no functional purpose at all. This building is known to locals as the Technical College.
Atop the gabled roof the year 1925 adorns the street front.
Interwar architecture in Australia has a unique atmosphere unlike many other off limit structures in the country. It’s difficult to imagine the hardships of this era; the Great Depression, the housing crisis, the decline of the White Australia Policy to compensate post war difficulties in such an isolated society. For such a fresh nation, there was so much was happening at this time. These standard and cost-efficient designs reflect that era; walking these walls you can somewhat feel their stories.
For my first visit, I planned a predawn mission - - the premises lay in the absolute middle of town, and being an outlander I was unfamiliar with how busy this place may get. I overplanned, but predawn missions, outside their commitment to exploring, offer a sense of purity and peace. Watching the sun rise and life unfold around a dormant structure is so unique.
As the sun rose, the interior itself seemed to wake up.
Unfortunately, the later extension to the original 1925 section did not connect to the remainder of the site. So for now, I had to appreaciate the later addition which appeared to be post WW2 which is all too common with Australian buildings.
Later, at another date, the upstairs to the previously explored downstairs extension was opened. This was the least interesting section of the building, and was also tenanted by vagrants. I find photographing squatters living spaces to be immoral, so naturally there are no photos of this.
Boring. I finished the morning with some more photographs of the original timber balconies.
View attachment
As time continued, I noticed security to the site was in total decline. Now, the entire place was left open. Of course, I took advantage of this.
The brightly painted offices were looked a little too photogenic in their emptiness...
Telecommunications commaders, which are not only technologicially outdated but this government owned company doesn't exist anymore, being replaced by the private business Telstra in 1993. The stylish logo (designed by Pieter Huveneers) was also replaced with something less desirable.
This college had a focus on home sciences.
The internal staircase, which was very dark and only lit up after I held the fire escape doors open.
The second level showed signs of quasi-renovations, with original timber doors and windows beind stacked up, only to be smashed to pieces by the recent (or previous) vandal attack.
Slut! Tagging on the wall indicated a recent break in and vandal attack, as someone even marked the date of their destruction being two months ago.
Even the toilet blocks were in their original condition (apologies for the unpleasant processing)
Being in this place brought back many memories. Exploring untouched abandonments out west on hot days in buildings without ventilation, with sweat sliding into my eyes, stinging me. The lifeless roads outside, the distant sounds of birds, wasps crawling on the glass of windows that thankfully act as barriers between myself and serious discomfort… but that unforgiving heat and humidity is something I will never forget. I resonated with this place in an indescribable manner.
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