Photographer Tom Teutenberg captures the remnants of abandoned industry: freezing works, meat processing plants, and whaling relics. The long-standing rural town money-makers which he says “were booming and just died”.Travelling around the East Coast: Gisborne, Tokomaru Bay, Waipaoa, he’s also captured along the way what else is lost when those key industries fade: the banks, post offices, old high-streets turned empty.
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Teutenberg grew up in Gisborne, and has known some of the buildings—especially the old freezing works—since childhood. “As long as I can remember they’ve been abandoned,” he says.“So it’s almost creepy—but quite beautiful as well.”
Watch our documentary Lost Boys of Taranaki about youth offenders growing up among poverty and disappearing industry in rural Taranaki.Follow Thomas on Instagram.