Missing murals among other places

Missing murals among other places

Do you know where any of the locations in these photographs are? If so, please leave a comment in the section at the bottom of the post along with the image number.

1) Does this mural still exist?

Untitled [New Zealand], New Zealand. Brian Brake. Gift of Wai Man Lau, 2010. Te Papa
2) Like the one above, this mural might have been painted over or the building knocked down…

Untitled [New Zealand], New Zealand. Brian Brake. Gift of Wai Man Lau, 2010. Te Papa
3) A bank in a small town somewhere in NZ…

National Bank of New Zealand country township branch, 1950s, New Zealand. Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. © Te Papa.

4) Zooming in close the sign hanging off the front of the building appears to say “The Cables …”

Historical Buildings, 1950s, New Zealand. Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. © Te Papa.

5) A large bay…

Untitled [New Zealand], New Zealand. Brian Brake. Gift of Wai Man Lau, 2010. Te Papa
6) and another….

Untitled (farm house and beach), circa 1965, New Zealand. National Publicity Studios. Purchased 2003. Te Papa

7) and one in black and white…

Northland wharf site and beach sands, 1950s, New Zealand. Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. © Te Papa.

8) Rocky outcrop into the sea…

New Zealand Scenery: Locality Unknown, 1960 s – 1980 s, New Zealand. Brian Brake. Gift of Mr Raymond Wai-Man Lau, 2001. Te Papa

9) This one reminds me of Peter Jackson’s film ‘Heavenly Creatures’…

New Zealand Scenery: Locality Unknown, 1960 s – 1980 s, New Zealand. Brian Brake. Gift of Mr Raymond Wai-Man Lau, 2001. Te Papa

10) Whangaroa?

Coastal scenery, Northland, 1950s, New Zealand. Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. © Te Papa.

11) Church and graveyard…

Churches, 1950s, New Zealand. Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. © Te Papa.

58 Comments

  1. No. 10 is definately the old hospital building at Whangaroa, still standing, renovated into a glorious home is and between the Marlin Wharf and the Clansman Wharf.

    1. Author

      thanks Ross

    2. Your image is too soon, go on past the marlin pub, the overhanging tree( from a previous unknown photo),curve around a bay,drive further on almost to the Clansman wharf and turn the camera 180 deg and you can just see the roof of the old hospital, now a home.

  2. #10 looks like it could be Whangarei harbour, taken on the Whangarei heads side

  3. The Rocks Rd Nelson mural was painted in the 1980s. From maybe it had a major retouch in the 1990s.

  4. INo 1 is on the research Building on Rocks Rd in Nelson

    1. Mural repainted 2012 (?) by original artist and volunteers

    1. Author

      yes – i think so. the hill line definately looks the same in those shots taken from the same stand point. Lissa

  5. #5 looks like Karitane. It was on Saturday (27th July) night’s “Coasters” programme TV1 with Steve Logan.

    1. Author

      ok – will check it out. thanks

  6. No. 10 looks like the shoreline around Whangaroa, possibly the old police station on the hill, or back further to about the site of the old store which stood on the shoreline. The Gables still stands and was I think a boarding house.

    1. Author

      thanks Ross

  7. Image 4 is possibly Russell?

  8. No. 10 Mangawhai,the nook?

  9. Author

    i’m pleased to hear that the first mural is still such a well loved presence in Nelson and that its painter – Chris Finlayson – is so well acknowledged. There were so many murals painted around NZ in the late ’80s early ’90s that are now gone. No one seems to know anything about the other mural no. 2 “Strand 55” yet though.

    1. Author

      thanks Kris

  10. # 7 is Omapere Beach, south Hokianga, looking West towards the Hokianga Heads.

    1. Author

      thanks Linda

  11. Number 7 is Omapere beach in the south Hokianga looking West towards the Hokianga headlands..

  12. Was in Nelson ten days ago and took a photo which included mural #1. Can send it to you from home if you like … definitely still there and fantastic!

    1. 1 definitely Nelson mural…I think the building used to be a fish factory when I lived there 25 years ago

  13. Yes to Tolaga Bay Wharf for #9

  14. 8 is definitely taken at Castlepoint in Wairarapa and shows Castle Rock in the background.

    1. Author

      lots agreement about this one! thanks

  15. No. 5 looks a bit like Karitane

  16. Number 1 is definitely in Nelson, on the side of the NCC Electricity Department building, on the eastern side of the part of the building built 1937, at 287 State Highway 6. It is still there I think – you can see it on Google Earth, the image is from December, 2009.

    Co ordinates: 41 degrees 15’51.86″” S 173 degrees 16’05.22″ E

    1. Author

      thank you! I will log a link to to google streetview in the database

  17. I’m fairly sure that number one was/is in Nelson, along the water front.

  18. Photo # 1 is the Aotearoa mural and it’s made by Christopher Finlayson, numero uno mural artist extraordinaire, it’s in Nelson, Te Wai Pounamu. Very much still there, renovated!

  19. No. 6 could be Kawhia Harbour looking towards the Tainui Marae.

  20. 11 is indeed Christ Church, Russell, both the architecture and the headstones match. The Gables is still a restaurant (not a shop) in The Strand, Russell – NZHPT Registration 421

    1. Author

      thanks Stuart

  21. Number 9 is definitely Tolaga Bay Wharf

  22. agree with Lara – 9 – Tolaga Bay wharf
    3 – maybe Waipukurau – I remember a building like this when I was pretty young on the corner of Ruataniwha St & Porangahau Rd but it was the Post Office, and there was the tower behind it too (but my memory could be really inaccurate). Eric Lee Johnson spent a couple of years in Central Hawkes Bay too, right?

  23. Author

    this is great – you guys are awesome!

    1. Author

      thanks for the links Victoria

  24. I agree that number 9 is the Tolaga Bay wharf, north of Gisborne …

  25. 3. is it Geraldine… ask the archivist at Bank of New Zealand on Harbour Quays for help!

  26. THE GABLES.. was a shop in Russell. assume its this very building… only been to Russell once, must have made an expression with me! its the old buildings I love…

  27. check FLAGSTAFF MEMORIAL… looks as though I am correct… What I can give TE PAPA is a lovely photograph of James Busby’s grave in London! rsvp!

  28. isnt 11 Russell church, I am going by the headstones, names… if you zoom it you can make some of the names, ask Russell Museum, I was due up there in Sept if still going will check it out.. looks like Williams on one headstone.. will try again! Clareville Taphophile (lover of headstones!)

    1. Author

      thanks Laura

  29. Number 1 = Nelson
    Number 8 = Castle Point (I think)

    1. Author

      Thanks Amos – do you know where in Nelson? or if it is still there? cheers Lissa

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