This photograph was taken in November 2023 of the footbridge at Holben/Te Wharangi Reserve in Foxton Beach. The bridge linked the playground with the public toilets and bicycle course and spanned the wetland/pond in the Reserve.

In 2023 a weight limit was put on the bridge due to its age and condition. At the time of writing (12th of March 2024) the bridge was being replaced with a new one of a different design. 

This photograph was taken by Foxton photographer Jacob Brookie using a 1960 Agfa Flexilette camera loaded with Fomapan 200 film. This was a family camera of an unusual design where the photographer looked down into a viewing hood which showed what was and was not in focus (i.e a twin-lens-reflex). This design was not uncommon- but it was in 35mm cameras like the Agfa.

Teunis Bleijenberg is a trained traditional miller from The Netherlands who came to Foxton in 2023 to train local De Molen millers and volunteers.  Safely operating a mill is a big job, with traditional millers usually training for two years to equip them for all types of mills- plus an extra four months learning the specifics of each new mill they work at.  With Foxton's De Molen being the only traditional Dutch windmill operating in the Southern Hemisphere, expert help has to come from far afield!

This photograph was made by local photographer Jacob Brookie as part of a series of photo-stories highlighting the work of local volunteers- including the millers Teunis was training. The photo was made with a 1966 Marshal Press camera and Kodak T-Max film.

On the 28th of March 2024, Save Our River Trust and Horowhenua Pop-Up Eats combined forces to host a community Easter Egg Hunt with the support of Foxton New World and Foxton Barber and Beauty. Over five hundred people attended, and hundreds of children searched for the hidden rabbits at the Te Awahou Riverside Cultural Park.

Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this photograph of the Easter Bunny awarding chocolate treats at Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom. Save Our River Trust volunteer Pou is taking a photograph and Horowhenua District Council staff member Grayson is handing out chocolate eggs behind the table.

Jacob used a 1958 Mamiyaflex C2 to take this photograph, part of a series about Foxton's volunteers made with vintage cameras. Jacob climbed the stairs to Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom's overhead walkway to take this picture. When he did, the event was almost over and the table, once full of treats with more waiting to be placed, is almost empty.

 This photo shows Foxton Beach Surf Lifesaving Club volunteers Holly, Kelsey and Thomas conducting a rescue drill just beyond the waves at Foxton Beach. In another IRB was Jacob Brookie, a photographer using a vintage 1950s Agfa Silette camera. A freak wave had already wet the lens of the Silette, and the lens was a bit damp despite Jacob’s best efforts which explains the slight lack of focus in this image!

The 2023/2024 Foxton Beach swimming season was plagued by bluebottle jellies- lifeguards on the observation deck saw huge ‘mats’ of them out at sea. There were a few painful stings felt by swimmers onshore, but no emergencies as a result. 

This photo was taken as part of a series about Foxton’s volunteers, and many photos were published in the Horowhenua Chronicle.   

This photograph was taken by local photographer Jacob Brookie in March 2023 from the dune track leading from the beach carpark down to the sea. It is of the  Waitārere Beach Surf Life Saving Community Facility under construction and the completed building will be the home to the local surf lifesaving clubrooms which can accommodate up to 200 people and host more training sessions. At the time of writing, it will be ready for the 2023/2024 summer season.

Jacob used a 1960 Agfa Flexilette camera to take this photograph. The Flexilette was an unusual camera as it was a twin lensed design built to take 35mm film- not many of these designs have been made! It wasn't all that popular in its day but still takes nice photographs.

The Super Quad Fishing Competition is run by the Manawatu Marine Boating Club, with four fishing days held each year. For 2023, a jetski was the prize, and there were more than 80 skippers and 200 contestants angling to win it. 

Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this photograph of the weigh - in at the final day of the contest- the 7th of April 2023. It was taken in the Manawatu Marine Boating Club's equipment room by the Foxton Beach Boat ramp at around 2pm in the afternoon. Pictured are contestants weighing a kahawai, with a volunteer pictured in the background taking note of the contestant, their boat, the species and the weight.

Jacob used a 1966 Marshal Press camera for this photograph on Ilford black and white film. The metal camera weighed almost as much as some of the fish did! 

This photograph was taken during a very cold morning in June 2022 by local photographer Jacob Brookie. It was taken in the Easton Park sportsgrounds at the back of the Foxton Pools, looking towards state highway one. 

Jacob used a 1990s Seagull 4A camera to take this photograph. The Seagull was a copy of the Rolleiflex camera and was basically unchanged since the 1960s and was made well into the 21st century. During the Cultural Revolution, having one of these cameras in China meant that you were a trusted state photographer (very few owned cameras in China at the time). However, Jacob bought his used online for $90.....

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. 

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. 

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! 

Taken with the Reflekta Camera. Black and white film was used in this series. In part, this was for a 'retro' effect but many vintage cameras have early lenses which struggle to take photos outside without lens flare. The effect of flaring is most noticeable in colour! 

Foxton's New World Supermarket was in the midst of renovations when this photograph was taken. The scaffolding, road cones and construction workers quickly became a part of the town's Main Street. 

Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this photograph in June of 2022, looking down the footpath and towards the police station end of the street (towards Himatangi). Jacob used a 1953 Agfa Billy 1 folding camera to make this photograph on Ilford FP4 film.