Abandoned Businesses
Almost every day, I drive past abandoned businesses, whether it’s a restaurant, shop, venue, or service center. My personal highlights over the past few years include an abandoned vet, an abandoned taxi rank, dog kennels and a rock concert venue – all of which are listed below!
An Abandoned Buddhist Meditation Centre in Chiang Mai
This abandoned Buddhist meditation centre located in the middle of Chiang Mai’s Old Town is mostly boarded up but an interesting explore all the same! Enjoy the photography gallery below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
The Abandoned Elders Wool Stores in Perth
In 1916 the British Government contracted the Australian Government to take over the entire wool consignment. The first woolstores (south) was built by Elder Shenton, originally Stock and Station agents. In 1918 the company became Elder Smith & Co. In 1924 Goldsborough Mort Ltd (GM) was established in Fremantle, and in 1927, built the first stage of the north woolstores on Goldsborough St for £75,000. Prior to 1927, the location comprised a Church of England Rectory, a duplex with sheds and stable, 8 terrace houses and a large stone residence. The rectory was sold to Goldsborough Mort Ltd (GM) in 1925 for £13,000 and relocated to the corner of Queen & High Streets. In 1963, Elders Smith merged with GM to become Elders-GM. In 1968-69, a linking bridge was built over Goldsborough Street between the north and south stores on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors. The woolstores ceased operations in 1982, after handling 9,703,315 bales of wool. The south woolstores were purchased in 1984 by Fremantle businessman Joe Rotondella for $3.5m, and the building and bridge was demolished in 1985 for a new shopping complex and carpark. In 1987 the north woolstores were used for the America’s Cup Ball.
Backpacker’s Hostel in Northbridge, Perth
This abandoned backpacker’s hostel in Northbridge, Perth, was a surprise find on my way to work one day. The stark blue colour really stood out and the building had a creepy vibe about it. That same day, I drove back to the site on my lunch break and managed to climb over the wall around the back (in a skirt). There was an open window, which was pretty high, but I was able to scale over it, but after all that effort, it was a dead end. The door leading out of the room didn’t lead into the hallway like I thought it would, I was met with a wall of concrete! Very annoying! There were a lot of security signs around this site, and the neighbour gave me the evils when he saw me scoping it out, so watch out if you’re planning a trip to this strange, abandoned hostel in Perth! Enjoy the photography gallery below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
K Dance Studio Perth
I was driving into Fremantle one day when I saw this dishevelled building on the corner and decided to check it out. The bottom premises were being set up as a boxing gym by the looks of it, and the rest of the rooms still contained costumes and props used by K Dance before they moved location in 2019. Enjoy the photography gallery below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
The Abandoned Space Roller Rink in Chiang Mai, Thailand
After being in Chiang Mai for less than 24 hours, I found myself standing inside an eerie relic of the past – an abandoned roller-skating rink that has been decaying for over two decades. Space Roller Extreme Sport & Techno Games was a popular attraction for Thai families and teenagers, but it closed down after the Asian financial crisis hit the region hard in the 1990s. Now, the building is barely recognisable, with only the Space Roller sign and the crumbling rink hinting at its former glory. The interior is completely destroyed by the roof that’s caved in and there’s heaps of rubbish and (pretty bad) graffiti. Most of the rooms are pitch black and some of them are inhabited by Thai homeless people. Access was easy and straightforward, as there were no guards, fences, or no trespassing signs. I’m always thankful for abandoned sites where access is easy – it really cuts down the time you have to spend there, and you get to save your adrenaline for inside! Not a bad start to kick off the AWP Thailand urbex series! Enjoy the photography gallery below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on
Abandoned Floating Restaurants in Hanoi, Vietnam
The startling discovery of 200 tonnes of dead fish in the West Lake led to the closure of several floating restaurants and cruise ships in Hanoi, Vietnam. Workers collect dead fishes floating in the polluted West Lake in Hanoi. Photo by Reuters/Kham Abandoned since 2016, the derelict ships lie rotting away and becoming more dilapidated by the day.
Abandoned Plant Nursery, Western Australia
This abandoned plant nursery in Western Australia barely resembled its former days of operation. The site had clearly been taken over by vandals and homeless people judging by the insane amount of rubbish, shit graffiti and crack corners I found. Enjoy the photo album below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!
Abandoned Hanoi Rock City, Vietnam
Founded in 2010, Hanoi Rock City in the West Lake area was the city’s first and only independent live music stage. Since then, HRC has been a major player in putting Hanoi on the music map for touring artists as well as emerging as a frontrunner in providing a solid, stable and dynamic creative platform for homegrown, grassroots talents across an eclectic array of live and electronic genres. However, a few years after establishing the iconic venue, HRC moved its base of operations 100 metres down the road. The reason why is unknown but presumably to expand their customer capacity as their current location is much bigger in size. If anyone has more details on exactly when and why this site became abandoned, email abandonedworldphotography@gmail.com. Enjoy the photography slideshow below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Abandoned Bowbilla Boarding Kennels, Perth, WA
Bowbilla Boarding Kennels & Cattery was a pet accommodation centre in Wanneroo, Perth, Western Australia. The kennels were established by Dave & Betty Bowie in 1971. The site includes many buildings including houses, sheds, kennels, huge outdoor cages, grassy areas and workshops. In some of the larger kennels, there were doggie swimming pools and comfy couches. There were a few armchairs in some other kennels. I read a review online in which someone said their dog loved this place so much that they would try to jump out of the car as soon as they started turning down the road it was on! Enjoy the photography slideshow below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Abandoned Western Australian Herbarium Garden
The Western Australian Herbarium was established in 1928 when Mr C A Gardner was appointed to the new position of Government Botanist and Curator of the State Herbarium. During this time, he also acquired control over a separate herbaria site belonging to the Department of Agriculture and the Forestry Department. The idea of amalgamating those two collections with that of the Western Australian Museum to produce a single State Herbarium was first suggested in 1923 and the concept was supported in 1926 by the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Botanic Gardens in the United Kingdom. The amalgamation of all three collections was completed in 1958, and the State Herbarium began its work. Between 1970 and 2010, the herbarium housed several unique collections of plants, an extensive research library and database. Not surprisingly, it has gained a historic reputation for its association with the long-established practise of collection and study of the plants of Western Australia and for its association with the unification of several significant collections of plant specimens in one place in a dedicated space. A government website states part of the hexagon (main) building is still being used for administration
Abandoned Miller’s Tyre Service, Perth, WA
Miller’s Tyre Service was in the news headlines when a truck parked inside the warehouse caught fire in 2021. It was a deliberate arson attack that resulted in damages of over $10k. The inside of the warehouse is in pretty bad shape. I’ve never seen so many papers strewn across one floor and the machinery left behind is black and greasy. One of the office floors is also covered in a layer of black grease. Enjoy the video and photography slideshow below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Abandoned Midway Taxi Rank, Perth, WA
Insane graffiti, a room for the homeless with a flatscreen monitor, and a popular party hub for youngsters. The deserted Midway Taxi rank in Perth’s northwest has recently been sold to a local developer. It carried a price guide of more than $5 million when it hit the market. Spanning across 2914 square metres, the taxi management company was established in 1985 and ceased operation a few years ago. Enjoy the photography slideshow below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Abandoned Fremantle Veterinary Hospital, Perth, WA
Constructed in 1906, this single-storey limestone and iron house is historically significant for its Australian Victorian-Georgian style of architecture, which can be seen by the symmetrical facades. This type of architecture is prominent in Fremantle, where this site is located. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the building was being used by the Fremantle Veterinary Hospital, which specialised in dentistry, radiography, and micro-chipping. All of the old cages can still be found inside and some equipment that would have been used for the treatment of sick animals. Enjoy the photography slideshow below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Abandoned Dublin Cemetery Florists, Ireland
Harolds Cross in Dublin has a bounty of history spreading back hundreds of years ago. Sadly, a lot of family run businesses that were set up back in time and flourished as they were passed down generations and generations, are now derelict and just waiting to be demolished. Number 119 on Harold Cross Road, used to be Burke Bros, specialising in flowers and floral tributes for the cemetery opposite it. It was a small building but easily accessible off the main road. The inside was in complete disrepair, full of rubbish and broken materials so I wasn’t able to get many good photos. Enjoy the photography slideshow below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Abandoned Killiney Beach Tea Rooms, Dublin (Ireland)
This small building situated along the beautiful Killiney Beach is an eyesore. Covered in graffiti and home to endless piles of empty beer cans, this long-abandoned site is a popular attraction for ‘sessions’ (a gathering of people where copious amounts of alcohol and other substances are consumed). Now, I won’t lie – I have joined in sessions here and it is a pretty cool place to go because of how tucked away it is. However, when your friends start falling down the massive black holes and twist their ankles, then it’s not so fun. Enjoy the photography slideshow below and don’t forget to follow Abandoned World Photography for regular urbex updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
