Freo Urban Exploration

The Corner of High and Josephson Streets

2006-07-16T20:36:00.000+08:00

This building has lain empty and abandoned for quite a while.
It is on the corner of High and Josephson Streets.

Recently they have started to work on it - I don't know how much longer you will be able to see it in its glory. I think the outside stairs have now gone...

AC4CA

2006-07-09T22:59:00.000+08:00

The Australian Centre for Concrete Art.

Large, colourful murals have been popping around Freo for quite a while and they are thanks to this mob. Check them out.

They are quick to point out that their art has nothing to do with concrete though!
A quick Google and you'll find out that there is quite a lot of 'art' that goes into these pieces.

This red dot is to be found in a car park on Leake St.

This piece is their newest installation and is to be found on the harbour end of Henry St.

This is the carpark on the corner of Pakenham and Nairn Sts.

This one is in the carpark on the corner of Cantonment and Queen.

This is in the same carpark, though I am not sure if it is their work - I can't see why not.

This one caught the corner of my eye on the train home from work. It took me a while to realise that it was linked to this mob. It is located just towards Freo from the North Freo train station along Stirling Hwy.

This last one is the Queensgate Carpark. This has had quite a lot of controversy. The least of which is why it was painted Eagles colours in the middle of Freo.
Personally I do like this better than an ugly grey building.

I think urban legends have it as the fifth ugliest building in Australia. Though a google finds nothing.
I hope the artists can handle infamy and notoriety as well as praise!

Thanks to all the artist's from AC4CA and to Chris Hill for allowing me to publish photos of their work.

Also check out Undenk's Urban Colourisation Scheme to turn Perth's empty spaces into coloured spaces. You'll need to right click to get to the next page until you find it (at least I needed to on my computer).

The Silos - Part 1

2006-07-03T01:16:00.000+08:00

I think these are old water tanks. They are affectionately known as 'The Silos' and are a graffiti writers dream come true - as well as a really interesting and intriguing look at an old part of Freo. These are located at the top of Swanbourne Street. Though they are best accessed from Stephens Reserve.

This photo is looking across Stephens Reserve to the first of the tanks (of which there are four).

A foreboding approach...

You walk down this fence until you find a hole...

As you can see the bottom of the tanks are covered all the way around with graffiti writing. These seriously change weekly - there is whole lot of traffic.

Looking to the next tank.

You find plenty of attempted orbitals by old bits of computers. I think this is one of the most therapeutic ways to retire old clunkers!

Tools of the trade

Looking out from the tanks is this weird depression - it almost looks like an old dam. It has been taken good use of by those with lots of paint - iRok!

Moving up the hill and looking back

And then looking to the left to the next set of tanks...

A view of the cancer towers on top of the hill.

Walking right up to the top of the hill you unexpectedly come upon these two cellar-like holes. I could imagine they would make great fighting pits. I don't think I would like to be here after dark...

It looks like there used to be a floor/ceiling sitting on those pillars. And again heaps of graffiti writing.

You can get down via this make-shift ladder.

I am really not sure what to make of them. They have a pipe between them. So maybe they also had water in them?

Between the two 'pits' you come across this hole:

And it leads down, down, down...

To a burning ring of fire.
Unfortunately it only goes a metre in before it is concreted off.
It did get my hopes up though.

Heading further north you come across this:

I think it is probably the old pumphouse.

This mural is on the wall as you walk in - I think I remember seeing this in The West a while ago in an article on graffiti writing.

An old pump and tanks?

Looking in.

And then back out.

And from above...

I'll continue in the next post.

Fremantle Urban Exploration

2006-06-28T14:41:00.000+08:00

I'll post soon, but as an intro this site is about:
- Fremantle, or as the locals call it 'Freo'; and
- Urban Exploration - ie exploration of the urban surrounds.

This will include abandoned builidings, old industrial sites, industrial warehouses, railway towers, abandoned tunnels, the port, Fremantle groynes, old tanks and silos, street art, good cafes, interesting groups like housing co-ops or environmental groups... and more I guess.

Check out Derelict Sensation and the Cave Clans in the links as a starter.
: )