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Nedlands REGIS Aged Care (1)
The images I’ve seen of abandoned buildings in countries like Germany and Russia, always feel so imposing, mysterious and captivating. Not just because many of their locations were once huge facilities, now forgotten with time. Many of their places, from hospitals to housing estates, tend to be full of possessions as if people had just suddenly walked off, leaving everything behind.
I never imagined I would be lucky enough to explore such a location here in Perth but I did. Despite being abandoned for as long as ten years, the Nedlands apartment block I was taken to was in fairly good nick and surprisingly, a very well-kept secret. Despite its imposing presence, visible from afar.
Of course, nothing could really compare with Germany, Russia and the like. Perhaps that’s a good thing though. I am fairly inexperienced with landmines, booby traps, guerrillas armed with submachine guns using abandoned buildings as a secretive base for their militant operations, as well as grey wolves who attack in packs.
Perth suddenly appears so much more attractive, despite the limited opportunities for a ‘top shelf’ explore. So in a nutshell, I certainly found myself with something more valuable than a peanut.
Nedlands REGIS Aged Care (2)
When I first entered the site, my attention was drawn to the massive amount of possessions left behind since its closure, sometime between 2010-2012. Photos cannot do justice in capturing the extensive quantity.
The first room I entered had an old flowery armchair that had clearly seen better days and not just because of some strange bodily fluid markings. I was amazed to see big piles of more than 100 new and almost-new plates in the room. What a waste!
I have to laugh at that trivial memory. Turns out … that was nothing at all!
Wheelchairs, walkers, gophers, crutches, commode chairs, gurneys, armchairs, tables, a variety of different seats, desks, computers, monitors, filing cabinets, storage furniture, TVs, VCRs, a record player, vinyl records, big boxes of VHS tapes, bowling pins, board games, recreation and fitness equipment, crockery, various kitchenware, hundreds of books and magazines, artwork, hobby materials, huge quantities and varieties of screws, tools, smoke alarms, cleaning products, a lawnmower etc.
More importantly and certainly a potential legal issue, aside from what appeared to be complete management records, logbooks, journal, ledgers, invoices, purchase histories, operational procedures and manuals, a quick glance revealed what appeared to be client records. This included extensive personal and medical histories, as well as case files. They were found in boxes and filing cabinets in at least eight different locations, with one floor of a bedsit’s bathroom covered in big piles.
Nobody obviously cared.
Nedlands Aged REGIS Care (3)
The main wing was six storeys high, with another wing equally as high behind and to the left was one with three floors. What a horrible place to live the last chapter of your life!
It resembled a jail and those words have been reiterated by many others I’ve spoken to, particularly upon considering the stereotypical mobility issues an elderly person may be experiencing. A set of stairs are located at the far end of each wing. Two lifts are located in the common room and each floor has one.
Perhaps these lifts were well maintained but if they were anything like my previous workplace, the lifts were constantly breaking down. Now add a fire. There’s going to be a whole lot of trouble and that is saying it quite conservatively. Sure, this apartment complex is no longer inhabitable but I would bet my bottom dollar that there are many replica buildings just like this one with the same legitimate concerns.
If I was an elderly person with mobility issues living in these apartments, which are relatively quite small, I wouldn’t bother going anywhere.
Nedlands REGIS Aged Care (4)
From an urbex point of view, it's funny how you start to become attached to a particular place. I've now visited this apartment complex no less than thirty five times since early October 2020, documenting with photos any changes I saw. Whether it was dero muppets trashing it or graffiti artists practicing their skills (and the occasional, ill-matured young men secretly obsessed with the penis, despite portraying a false sense of macho heterosexuality, defacing works of art with male genitals).
Word was starting to get out and perhaps an influx of visitors was attracting its demise.
Then everything changed for the worse. It was imminent.
After some nine years of neglect, internal demolition started. A sad reality I knew I would have to accept sooner or later. My happy place, where I came to cope with this toxic world, was about to fall apart.
Nedlands REGIS Aged Care (5)
An application made by Regis Aged Care to demolish and construct a new $250,000,000 retirement village had been approved on December 12, 2018. New plans for the site had been drawn up to build 327 apartments for seniors, between three to five storeys high with a central building of six storeys.
So I found myself increasing my visits by going almost every night, even for just an hour at a time, although I no longer had the place to myself. Word was getting out even faster than ever, attracting multiple groups most night. After the National Archives of Australia in East Victoria Park was demolished, I felt so lost. Now I’d emotionally clung myself to this apartment complex, that for most, resembled nothing more than an eyesore.
To think I’d ever get a site anywhere as good as this again? Yeah, nah!
