Weekend Rewind: How NZ's iconic streets and cities have changed

Ponsonby Road: A look back at what once was. Photo / NZOS

Opinion

NZ On Screen’s Zara Potts takes a walk down memory lane and looks at how some of our biggest cities and most iconic streets have changed over the decades.

It's one of the truisms of ageing – the older we get, the more we complain about how things have changed.

If you're over 40, no doubt you have had a moment where you look around the city (or town) where you live and think to yourself, "Where did that old school/pub/shop go?"

Sometimes it feels like we're living in that Talking Heads song 'Once in a Lifetime'.

But it's true that over the past few decades our major cities have had serious makeovers. Some of our cities are barely recognisable – particularly Christchurch which has had to rebuild itself after the devasting earthquakes it suffered several years ago.

But even though some of its most recognisable buildings may have been lost, the city still has many sights that remain the same – as you can see in this charming 1952 travelogue.

See Christchurch - Garden City of New Zealand here:

Earthquakes have always preoccupied us as a nation and before Christchurch became synonymous with tremors, Wellington was always thought to be the city most at risk. So much so, that in the 1970s and early 80s, a mass demolition of buildings began – to get in first before nature brought them down. This documentary shows how substantially the Capital changed, as graveyards made way for motorways, and old wooden buildings were replaced with steel, glass and concrete.

See how Wellington has changed in Hometown Boomtown here:

Auckland locals and visitors alike will be aware of Ponsonby Road. The road has seen all sorts of history unfold on its asphalt. But in 1988, Ponsonby Road was undergoing a massive transformation – from working class preserve to an upmarket retail destination. This documentary looks at some of the early gentrification that saw property prices eventually skyrocket. And for those people who are old enough, you might spy the late and lamented Gluepot Tavern.

Watch Real Lives - Ponsonby Road here:

Another famous road in Auckland is, of course, Dominion Road. So famous that Don McGlashan wrote a song about it. Like Ponsonby Road, Dominion Road has seen its fair share of changes, but in this video of the 1992 Mutton Birds classic you can see a less multi-cultural streetscape than we see today.

Find out what's halfway down 'Dominion Road' here:

As well as seemingly never-ending streets like Colombo Street or Dominion Road, New Zealand cities have had endless hotspots that have been the scenes for some wild nightlife. This 1970s tourism campaign focuses on the delights of our after dark entertainment, with bars, bands, dancing and floor shows just some of the treats on offer. It's a reminder of how things have changed in the succeeding decades as we see some fabulous retro fashion, as well as some retro pleasures like cigarettes and disco.

Watch New Zealand is Yours - Nightlife here:

And after all that boogieing, where did everyone go to? Well, home of course. This documentary looks at how Kiwis have housed themselves throughout history – from Victorian slums to Herne Bay villas and, of course, the iconic state house. Art critic Hamish Keith explores how outside influences such as cars, consumerism, war and town planning have impacted on how we live and where we live.

Watch The City and the Suburb here:

It's not just the major cities which have changed beyond recognition. Smaller towns, especially those on the tourist routes, have also been remodelled. This Kaleidoscope special visits several resort towns, taking in the "cacophony of bad taste" motels in Paihia, and the impressive Skyline gondola in Queenstown.

Watch Kaleidoscope - Architectural Resorts here:

Kaleidoscope took a keen interest in our changing skylines. This mid-80s episode has Auckland firmly in its sights as the shift from 'City of Sails' to 'City of Cranes' truly got underway. In what has been described as "an unprecedented building boom" the programme looks at the transformation of New Zealand's biggest city into a downtown hub of malls and mirrored glass. Architecture critic Mark Wigley rates the BNZ tower an "insult", and a number of other new buildings are given the thumbs down.

Watch Kaleidoscope - Auckland High-rises here: