One of these is the settlement of Brooklands, north of Christchurch and pretty much on the banks of the Waimakariri. The whole area has been red-zoned and will, in effect, be abandoned. Or at least that was the plan announced last year, but a resident's campaign may yet change this decision.

In an earlier life I drove the Waimairi District Council's mobile library and Friday afternoon was as close as we got to the fully rural mobile library experience: a tour of Kainga, Spencer Park and Brooklands.

I don't remember it ever looking quite so charming as it does in this photograph, but I do remember a lot of decent people and the destruction of their community seems a pretty raw deal.

Incidentally we have geo-tagged this work to the general area of Brooklands, but it would be great if someone could tell us exactly where this stretch of river, and the houses beside it, is. Maybe they still exist? Add a comment below if you can help.