Day Nine - Zoo

Apparently Hobart used to have a zoo. I stumbled across it today for the first time in my 22 years in this city. And I used the term 'city' lightly. Hobart's more of a boat village than a city. Only there aren't any boats. Except on the wharf. But that's beside the point. What I mean is, Hobart's ridiculously small. So is Tasmania. So how could I have lived here this long and not known there's an 1800's zoo sitting there? This is probably a sign that I need to open my eyes a little more. There's so many interesting things around me every day that I just take for granted and don't absorb, let alone document.

The area was quite interesting. There were a couple of 1800's structures that were clearly animal housings scattered about the place. There was a small description on the gate that told of the main remaining enclosure which housed a polar bear. The bear escaped, as they do, and mauled one of the zookeepers resulting in his death and ultimately, the closure of the zoo. The area was later converted into a storeyard for Hobart's oil industry.

Even though there were awesome 1800's structures, the most intriguing part for me was the gate. It looked as if it was undergoing restoration, but it was covered in little cast iron sculptures of zoo animals trapped behind bars. Needless to say, they all looked rather unhappy, which probably wasn't the best image for the zoo. But at least they were being honest.

This photo's of one of the caged animals in abstract form. I believe this one was a tiger. But it could have been a bear.
For photo info and camera settings etc click the photo to link to my flickr page.

This photo to the right is what's left of the polar bear enclosure.

Royal Derwent Project

For those of you who are unaware the Royal Derwent (originally New Norfolk Insane Asylum), which closed down in 2001 is slowly being sold off and demolished taking all history with it. I've spent quite a bit of time out there and have grown quite fond of the place. I was talking to one of my lecturers yesterday at uni who underwent a study and a residency inside Ward C in the late 90's and he seems to think that it wouldn't be too hard to gain access to some of the wards that have been thoroughly secured since the hospital's closure, and hence left untouched and unvandalised. Of most interest to me is Ward C which was a high security lock up for the insane. Marty (My lecturer) told me of 1900's medical equipment he found there on his first visit to the secured ward. Old school wooden shock boxes with head pins and rubber pads for the mouth. Nasty! Old school glass syringes with ceramic plungers. Each ward had drawers full of complete patient history dating back to the 1800's. Unfortunately most of these things have now been either destroyed or lifted by bogans. Another reason why i'm so keen on getting inside the untouched sector.

I'll be expressing interest to the mayor and land owners via contacts from my lecturer. It wouldn't be the first time university students have been granted access to the buildings for study. Now isn't a bad time either as the asylum's future looks more and more hazy each day. So i'm feeling quite optimistic about it. I'd really like to do a photo study out there or a short film in Ward C. I'll update as soon as I know any further.

Click the image to fly over to my flickr set on the Royal Derwent.