Punk Human

500+ SYDNEY PROPERTIES REMAIN EMPTY

by Keith Salter

The Empty Properties Register is the result of active research field work that has sought to document the widespread practice of leaving properties empty at a time when over 120,000 people nationally within Australia continue to experience homelessness.

The research found 500+ empty and abandoned properties – overwhelmingly domestic dwellings – situated within the greater Sydney region. The survey encapsulated one or more visits to more than 160 suburbs across a period of 21 months.

Many of these 500+ properties are locked up for the longer term. Anti-human enhancements have been added to many empty properties to ensure they remain unoccupied. These anti-human enhancements include plywood boards and wire mesh fencing.

A collage of various photographs showcasing empty and abandoned properties in Sydney, featuring diverse architectural styles and states of disrepair, against a colorful, textured background.

Photography and artwork | Keith Salter

The Empty Properties Register is an image and text based database. The information contained therein includes a list of empty properties identified by suburb and street address and provides a photograph of the empty property taken from the street.

Research field work includes travelling to and navigating through 164 Sydney suburbs and capturing 515 photographic images of empty and abandoned properties.

And has also included engaging with the general public, including locals circulating within the local area, who sometimes pointed out to the researcher where empty properties existed.

A dilapidated house with boarded windows, partially obscured by a fence and surrounded by trees, indicating it is unoccupied.
SUTHERLAND
An abandoned house with overgrown bushes and trees in a suburban setting, featuring a partially boarded window and green, yellow, and red garbage bins in the foreground.
CAMPSIE
A vacant brick house with boarded windows, enclosed by a wire fence, surrounded by overgrown vegetation and leaves on the ground.
RYDE
A derelict house with a weathered facade, overgrown grass, and a visible fence, indicating abandonment.
HORNSBY
Abandoned house with boarded windows and a 'Keep Out' sign, surrounded by a chain-linked fence and overgrown vegetation.
INGLEBURN
A vacant, graffiti-covered house with boarded windows and a green roof, situated in a grassy area under a blue sky.
ST MARYS

Street photography is the heart of the Empty Properties Register, which does not speculate or suppose, but rather, shows as is.

Exterior view of an abandoned house with peeling paint and boarded-up windows, surrounded by tall grass and trees.
KATOOMBA
A partially obscured abandoned house surrounded by overgrown vegetation, showcasing a neglected property within the Sydney area.
WOLLONGONG
An abandoned residential property in Sydney, showing overgrown plants and graffiti on the walls, surrounded by a fence.
LINDFIELD
An abandoned house with boarded windows and overgrown grass, viewed through a metal fence.
WYONG
An abandoned house surrounded by overgrown vegetation and wildflowers in a rural setting.
BROOKLYN
A fenced-off empty house in a suburban area, with visible signs of disrepair and neglected landscaping.
CHESTER HILL

Local “reputation” of a given suburb or conurbation has not acted to constrain this research. In terms of class analysis, both rich and poor suburbs were explored. In Australian mainstream media terms, both “high crime rate” and “low crime rate” suburbs were surveyed.

For example, Lakemba, Leichhardt, Leumeah, and Lindfield, are all Sydney suburbs that have been included within the Empty Properties Register due to properties sitting unoccupied within their boundaries. It remains the same case with Redfern, Rockdale, Rooty Hill, and Roseville.

The research was conducted between April 2024 and December 2025. No properties were entered whilst undertaking this research.

VIDEO | ABANDONED PROPERTIES

Text graphic promoting the Empty Properties Register, with a partially obscured home in the background.
A close-up view of a boarded-up building wall with a prominent graffiti message reading 'NO ENTRY', highlighting the theme of abandoned properties.
An image featuring a vibrant graphic saying 'STOP THE ROT' superimposed on a photo of an abandoned building with boarded windows and overgrown grass.

CREATIVE RESEARCH: DIGITAL ARTWORKS & AN ONLINE EXHIBITION

A curated selection of photographic images, many of which are derived from the Empty Properties Register, have been transformed into digital artworks that feature in the World Turned Upside Down online art exhibition. The exhibition also features photographic images of homeless people sleeping rough on the streets of Sydney.

Text graphic displaying the words 'WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN' in a bold font against a dark background.
A street scene showing a makeshift arrangement of blankets and umbrellas in a public space near Wynyard, Sydney. Bicycles and personal items are visible, reflecting the experience of homelessness.
A vibrant, abstract artwork depicting figures engaged in an activity amidst a colorful background of geometric shapes and various hues.
A dimly lit scene depicting a person sleeping on the ground, with blurred outlines of nearby structures in a hallway or corridor, capturing the atmosphere of homelessness.

Both Empty Properties Register and World Turned Upside Down online art exhibition are published on the Punk Human website. All are free to access.

An abstract digital artwork featuring vibrant colors of red, yellow, and orange, with contrasting darker silhouettes, creating a visually striking composition.

Researcher | Keith Salter | MRes. Modern History | MA Curating

Field research, street photography, filming and video editing, written analysis, information management, digital curation, artwork, and website presentation are the work of Keith Salter.

NOTES

  • “Declining housing affordability, correlates with an increase in the numbers of people experiencing homelessness. At the 2021 Census, 122,494 people were estimated to be experiencing homelessness across Australia – a rise from 116,427 people in 2016 (ABS, 2023c).”

    National Housing Supply and Affordability Council (2024). State of the Housing System. (115).

Leave a comment

Punk Human