Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this picture in September of 2022- local election season! This scene is of the Seaview Gardens, at the base of the Foxton water tower on Main Street. The signs seen here belonged to candidates for Mayor, Council and the Te Awahou Foxton Community Board. Some of these faces were successful in their bid for office, others less so.

Jacob used a 1956 Lipca Rollop Automatic camera to take this picture.

Foxton's Busy Bee Dairy was a fixture of the town on State Highway One. In late 2022 it moved from the highway to a building in Foxton's Main Street. 

The old dairy was full of advertising and has been photographed many times by travellers passing through. Local photographer Jacob Brookie heard about the dairy's relocation and wanted to take a photograph of the Coca-Cola bottle painted on the side of the building before it was demolished. The photograph was taken in August 2022.

It is a strange combination of advertising for a massive global company which was probably made by a local painter!

Jacob used a 1957 Lipca Rollop Automatic camera to take this photograph. This camera takes twelve photographs per roll of 120 format film, with the photographer composing the photograph by looking down into a hood on the top of the camera. 

The 2022 Big Dutch Day Out featured an exhibition of photographer Ans Westra's fascinating glimpses into New Zealand life. Her impact on New Zealand photography and society is far too detailed to do justice in this short description- but it is reasonable to say that she was one of this country's greatest photographers and arriving from the Netherlands as a young women gave her the perspective behind many of her finest works.

Ans Westra was a guest of honour on the day and was part of the line of dignitaries including Members of Parliament and the Race Relations Commissioner who posed for a photograph by the De Molen windmill. Two lines formed- the dignitaries and the people taking a photograph of them.

Local photographer Jacob Brookie was there using a 1950s Yashica 'A' camera from the MAVtech Museum. He noticed the lines forming and thought that this was far more interesting than a front-on photo of notables. He also noticed that Ans Westra (seated in this picture) was taking a photo of the people taking a photo- placing her in both groups at once! 

Ans Westra famously used a Rolleiflex camera for much of her life and the Yashica A had a similar styling. She mentioned to Jacob that the digital camera she was using that day had a folding screen so she could compose pictures 'waist level' like Rolleiflex if she wanted to.

Ans Westra passed away on the 26th of February, 2023.

A feature of Foxton for many years, the 'Foxton Trading Post' second hand shop closed in Winter 2022. Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this photo of the shop's front entrance just before it closed down for good in an effort to preserve this part of the Main Street.

Jacob used a 1934 Rolleicord to take this photograph. The Rolleicord was the budget version of the Rolleiflex camera and was made for amateur photographers. Nonetheless, it was well built and had a quality lens and shutter. 

While not in the Horowhenua District, the Transmission Gully motorway provides an important link between Horowhenua and Wellington City to the benefit of commuters from both regions.

The road opened to traffic on the 31st of March 2022, and Foxton photographer Jacob Brookie took this photograph in May of that year. Jacob used a c.1948 Mamiya Six folding camera to make this exposure from the rear seat of a Mazda SUV. The Mamiya was an advanced camera for its day and was a popular choice of Allied forces stationed in Japan at the time. Jacob's Mamiya has a worn, somewhat cloudy lens which reduces contrast so is used for 'special effects'.

The photograph was taken travelling southbound over Transmission Gully.

Taken with an East German Reflekta Camera.  The lens on this camera had some haze due to it's age and this has created a 'soft focus' look. 

Taken with the East German Reflekta camera. 

This image was taken with a 1956 Lipca Rollop Automatic- One of Jacob's personal cameras. When using an untested MAVtech camera for a story Jacob always brings along a proven vintage camera as a backup! 

During the Big Dutch Day Out 2022 a monkey kite got caught in the fans of the De Molen windmill, and ended up imitating King Kong on the Whare Manaaki! This caused much merriment until the kite master could remove it....

This was taken by Foxton photographer Jacob Brookie with a 1950s Yashica 'A' twin lens reflex camera. Made in Japan, this was an affordable camera for the enthusiast photographer and Jacob has used it to take many photographs around Foxton. 

The Yashica is owned by the MAVtech Museum of Audio and Visual Technology.

This photo shows the dismantling of Foxton's tram and trolley bus lines in March 2023. First installed as a local development and tourism project by local Ian Little in 1989, trolleys and trams were a familiar site in the town for many years. However, upon Ian's passing in 2012 the service gradually ceased, with the last trolley travelling its route in July 2016.

Concerned about the state of the trolley lines, the Horowhenua District Council made the decision to pull them down. 

This photograph was taken by Jacob Brookie who used a 1966 Marshal Press camera. These cameras were once the choice of newspaper photographers sent to press stand ups.

Jacob stood on Foxton's Main Street opposite the Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom cultural park. Wharf Street can be seen beyond the two men in the middle ground.

This photograph was taken on the 15th of October, 2022 when the 21st Supply Company of the 2nd Combat Services Battalion exercised their right to march down Foxton's Main Street in full uniform and with weapons. This right, proven after a ceremonial police challenge, was granted to the Company for their service to the town after the 2004 floods and the RSA clubrooms fire.

The morning of the march included an inspection by Mayor Bernie Wanden and an address by senior officers. 

Taken by local photographer Jacob Brookie using a 1956 Lipca Rollop Automatic camera- used by keen amateurs in its day. Jacob stood on Foxton's Main Street looking towards the War Memorial Hall.