In photos: Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington after dark

Monday, 29 December 2025

Photographers Chris McKeen, David Unwin and Mark Taylor provide a snapshot of our cities’ CBDs, from bars to makeshift camps, over one night in December. They joined reporters Amelia Wade, Hanna McCallum and Fiona Ellis on the night-time streets of Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton.

Auckland

Chris Evington, left, and Brett Avery, accompanied by Evington’s dog Sid, by Hamilton’s Minogue Park.

Brett Avery (pictured) and Chris Evington are living out of their car at Minogue Park.

Chef Phoebe Wenlock (left) and barista Rosa Pennington organised a new night market held at Midnight Espresso.

Auckland was buzzing at the end of the last full workday before many offices shut down for the Christmas break.

Wellington

The horizontal rain from earlier in the day has eased. With many workplaces winding down and schools off for the year, there’s a nostalgic buzz to the city – an energy people had begun to lose sight of in the capital.

Hamilton

As night falls at a Hamilton park, a dog growls to alert his owner that people are approaching. For people living in a car, safety is an ongoing issue, and strangers could mean trouble.

However, owner Chris Evington welcomes the Waikato Times with the assurance that the dog, Sid, is really “a big softie”.