7. Gardies

Our final stop on this tour of Castle Street is The Marsh, formerly known as Gardies. What was once a thriving watering hole is now a sterile pond, transformed from throbbing student bar to sleek studyspace. The forced metamorphosis of Gardies encapsulates the current state of Castle Street conservation more than any other Wonder, especially given the fact that many current residents are not even aware of its history.

The Gardies of olde was a central node of Castle culture. When it began to struggle financially, students made a plan to buy the bar and run it themselves – a conservationist approach. The University, backed by deeper pockets, was able to outbid them. When they assumed ownership, the University gutted the beast and repurposed it, destroying a critical piece of the Castle Street ecosystem. Much of the local decline in biodiversity has happened in the years since losing this keystone species.

Today, the sleek facade of the building says nothing of the spectacles that used to grace its patrons. It was the ultimate destination of travelling Undie 500 pilgrims and a space for socialisation amongst the residents of the today stands as a testament to what we have lost, but also to where we are headed as a species. Away from centralised parties and decentralised study, and towards decentralised parties and centralised study.

street. Without such a space, the entire ecosystem of Castle Street is threatened. The Marsh

As we finish our tour, you are invited to think deeply about the importance of what we have lost, and the ways that we can support what still remains.

As New Zealand’s oldest, proudest and most notorious student environment, Castle Street offers what no other locale can: a space for young residents to mingle, meet and misbehave. To learn and grow in a community of their own. It is a critical environment to preserve as we move into a more bureaucratic society.

Visit now, while you still can, but remember: take nothing but photos (and drugs), and leave nothing but footprints (and your dignity).

By Nina Brown