The online rise of ‘urban exploring’
The growing online popularity of urban exploration, a subculture that seeks out abandoned buildings, has been blamed for acts of vandalism and trespassing in the pursuit of likes and followers. But those embracing the fringe hobby say they are using social media to share Perth’s forgotten local histories and the benefits outweigh the risks.
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00:00If it's creepy and abandoned, Delphine jammets in her element.
00:06She explores and documents the obscure urban histories of Perth.
00:10And I'm trying to fill in the gaps, focus on places that don't really get documented
00:16as much or people don't know about but are seemingly as important.
00:22Places like Perth's Rottnest Island.
00:24The tourist hotspot is better known for quokkas, though it has a fascinating wartime past.
00:30When you go to abandoned places, it changes your perspective.
00:33It changes the way you see things.
00:35Her online audience has grown to 25,000.
00:39Other accounts of so-called urban exploration have also taken off on social media.
00:44Though there's a downside.
00:46People have egos that they want to flaunt on Instagram.
00:50Urbex accounts have emerged all over TikTok and Instagram, posting photos and videos of
00:54abandoned sites.
00:55The online popularity has been a double-edged sword, with the subculture increasingly associated
01:00with vandalism and trespass, as some so-called explorers seek out thrills and online attention.
01:08Historians worry these untrained explorers could damage the integrity of historic sites.
01:13There are issues like damage to heritage sites that are often quite fragile, sometimes have
01:18areas that might be quite culturally and socially sensitive because there's been a traumatic
01:23history.
01:24There's also concerns of personal safety in derelict old buildings.
01:29Those risks don't deter Delphine Jammett.
01:32Her exploits in abandoned places seem to hold a deeper meaning.
01:36I feel like I belong there.
01:38The peace and quiet is just everything.
01:40I can go days without seeing a single person.
01:43I think my mates don't appreciate that.
01:45It's a subculture trying to find some beauty in the dark.