Introduction

What is the story of the Powerhouse? The site of a powerhouse in Geelong, Victoria abandoned many years ago. Then it there was an attempt to set it up as a street art mecca. But that's gone off the rails and the Powerhouse has been abandoned again.

It had a website once but the domain is now for sale. Its facebook page still exists but hasn't been updated for years.

Powerhouse in your face

With the Powerhouse looking out over the ocean there is no missing it! A side-street runs right in front of the hulk with his companion nudes on its way to a small harbour on the bay. If you were following the walking track along the bay you wouldn't miss it!

When I first saw this 5 story high painting it seemed pretty clear it wasn't the work of street artists working in the dead of night. It took some cranes and scaffolding to complete this.

Art finds a way

So you want to visit the Powerhouse? It seems there has been a bit of a contest of wills going on in this regard. Access cut-off, reopened and then cut-off again repeatedly.

I've met multiple groups of people wandering around the site who have ignored the construction site signs and climbed through that hole in fence. And that hole has been there quite a while now. Even with the trespass and everything falling apart its quite an attraction.

Onto every square inch

Their isn't much that does been street arted. The high-up works that needed scaffolding or climbing on roofs are pretty much un-touched but anything at ground level has been tagged multiple times.

Around the corner from the 5 story high dragon is Nikola Tesla! Neat.

The Rone has landed

Woh that massive painting on the side is most definitely a Rone. Can't have been fun painting it on the disintegrating glass.

I saw an awesome exhibition by him at the Geelong Arts Centre, but missed his exhibition at Flinders Street Station.

There is another multi-story work on the other side.

Well the outside is nice and all. Shall I test my piloting skills inside? It looks way interesting.

Well I've come this far

The photos from the Guardian article show the floors as clean and neat but now they are covered in dirt and pigeon poo. You have to make sure you dodge the open pits and guard rails are missing from the stair cases.

But at one point in time an awful lot of people have put an awful lot of work into this place. And like the outside a lot of the paintings are multiple stories high and needed scaffolding.

Everything is covered in art-work. Its staggering. Far to much too show.

I remember reading somewhere that if the Powerhouse was in Europe or the US it would be a major tourist attraction. But in Geelong its a Occupational Health and Safety disaster that you have to conduct minor trespass to go see.

And this is my favourite painting in Powerhouse. The hand of god or something. I love the way its blends in with the brickwork and the algae that's growing over it.

But not any more

I was after some pictures of the outside of Powerhouse taken in the morning light. So recently I booked a cheap AirBnb and returned Geelong to get them.

Now there is a demolition sign at the front. Rubble and earth is being cleaned up collected and carried away. The entrance to the building itself is blocked by a container and there are no visitors ducking through the hole in the fence.

A lot of work by a lot of talented people went into this place. A news article reported 30,000 people visiting a month. I found social media posts about teachers hoping to bring their school students.

But then for some reason it all fell apart. Abandoned as a powerhouse, abandoned as an street art mecca and now set to be torn down.

Just too cool for the 21st century it seems.

Still I was able to send my flying robotic companion to get the photos I wanted.

See you later Powerhouse.