Once Was Urban, Waihi.

Once was urban... A couple of sketches of the remains of the Waihi Stamper Battery on Union Hill. The concrete and carefully laid stonework is now reclaimed by regenerating NZ native bush and wild radiata pine making the ruins of the old factory look like a lost jungle temple. Its wise to stay on the track, the surrounding radiata pines curve into fantastic shapes and hide deep open mine shafts covered with rotting timber and fallen branches.

A sketch of the pine tree above the Stamper Battery site drawn on damp watercolor paper.

Martha Mine, Waihi

In the middle of the town of Waihi is a giant hole, all that remains of Martha Hill that once stood as high as the hole is now deep. The colors of the rock walls are fascinating -  reds, yellows, blacks and greens - rock sliced by huge machinery. One day the place is supposed to become a lake, although there is much speculation in the town as to when that will actually happen.