Abandoned Buildings In Australia By Brett Patman

“I’ve been shooting abandoned buildings for five years. I think they provide really interesting subject matter that often has rich history attached.”
From an old power station to a forgotten hospital, the images depict decaying places in dark tones with an eerie atmosphere. In an exclusive statement about the project, Patman says: “I’ve been shooting abandoned buildings for five years. I think they provide really interesting subject matter that often has rich history attached. The images are quite powerful and have the ability to engage entire communities in a discussion about the past, present and future of the buildings.”

“I try not to get two shots of anything but sometimes the length and size of these places warrants a view from both ends.”

“This is the boiler house control room. It must have been 10-15 metres of dials and switches. This room drove the boiler house.”

“My best educated guess is that these are Bailey Meters. Still with the old spirographs. You can see where the red needle made its last recording of flow rate of a water pump and then never turned back on again in 1983.”

“This is the residence where the Chaplian used to reside. He was probably a busy man. There was actually an active bee swarm in the curtain to the right. you can see some of the dead bees on the floor.”

“If there’s one thing I always like to get a shot of, it’s semi broken up patterns. You can see patches on the floor where it is starting to rot away. Probably not a good idea to walk on.”

“An old clinic in one of the wards that has long since seen any patients. The dust covered floor is broken up with footprints. If you look close enough there are also paw prints. Someone still comes here.”

“This is the brains of the operation. This controlled the turbine hall and energy distribution to the Inner West tram and train net work. You can also see a telephone to contact the other power stations on the desk on the right. Hand piece was stolen years ago.”

“The contrast of beauty and decay. Darkened hallway in a cool room area looking out to rolling hills in the countryside.”

“If ever you needed an example that nature always finds a way. This is it. An old kitchen and dining area. Maybe the lines on the floors are where the tables used to sit?”

“This is at the Victoria Road entrance to the plant. A big, long room where the hard working power plant staff cooled down after a hard day next to the furnaces. Kind of looks like the ultimate man cave in a power station 50 years ago. It has built in speakers in the walls, a kitchen and even still a couple of old ping pong tables and something that looks like table soccer but from 50 years ago. No WIFI unfortunately. Notice the old murals on the wall and the stage? Most of the side wall murals have been washed away from when the asbestos roof was removed a few years ago.”

“An old semi-circle entertainment room with a looking up in the direction of Rozelle.”

“It’s not really a leaking tap. It’s leaking rainwater. Some nice moss for bonsai in the background there. Nature always wins.”

“The turbine hall in all it’s glory. This is the big building you can see on victoria road. You can just see the only remaining turbine all alone at the back of the hall. Sad lonely turbine.”

“Nature always finds a way.”

“An old engineering workshop, probably used to be filled with lathes, milling machines, drills… The real stuff from when the workers made new machinery parts when they broke instead of buying replacements. All that remains today is 3 ducted bench grinders and a lonely old chainblock, hanging above a floor comprised of broken glass, rusted pieces of metal, paint flakes and chunks of rotting wood that have fallen from way above.”