Grafton Bridge was built in 1910.At the time it was an engineering marvel, being the longest single span concrete bridge in the world. It is still a vital and busy part of Auckland's transport network in the centre of the city. It is still an imposing and elegant structure.
Under the bridge lies Auckland's first graveyard, established in 1842.The city was just starting to be established by the early settlers who began building a more permanent site for expansion in what was then a young colony of England.
There are still some beautiful graves remaining from these early times.But for all it's historical significance this is nowadays a sad and mainly derelict place. In the 1960's a motorway system was built under the bridge and 4000 graves were disinterred and placed in a common memorial.
This bronze sculpture is part of the Jewish cemetery section across the road from the bridge. It is in remembrance of those that lost their lives in the Holocaust.
Since the 1960's the city council has largely let time, vandalism and the weather destroy a lot of the remaining graves. It is sad to see such a formerly beautiful and important part of our heritage slowly dying.
The graveyard has paths leading through it to walking tracks and native bush that cut through the steep gully under the bridge. By day it is a tranquil and lovely bush setting right in the heart of the city. Despite it's historical significance it is largely forgotten and ignored part of town as it lies hidden under the bridge. But it not just the dead that are found here under the bridge among the tombstones.
By night the graveyard and the tracks through it are unlit and locals stay well away. The area under the bridge has for years has been a spot where the city's homeless find shelter and the afflicted and addicted come to drink, take drugs,tag and congregate. During the day they are mostly gone but signs of their shelters,fires,and graffiti are there.
Auckland ,like most big cities, has a homeless population that remain largely ignored or shunned. The numbers are not as large as most American or European cities, but there are an estimated 1000 homeless in the city centre. And a lot of them are children-almost half.
Under the bridge is where a lot of the "lost kids" shelter at night in groups so they have some protection in numbers from those who would prey on them, after spending the day begging or just roaming the city centre.
This graffiti deep under the gigantic overhang of the arch of the bridge overhead I find beautiful but deeply sad. Progress is slowly being made to house these kids but even well intentioned government plans take time. So these kids who have slipped through the cracks of the welfare system for many reasons-poverty,disfunctional families, moving from small towns to the city,remain under the bridge.
Thanks for sharing the story of Grafton Bridge.