The CBD is slowly being opened up and this is the post - earthquake result of Cashel Mall. A vibrant, fresh look with high end shopping in colourful container shops. A really good step forward for the city.
The CBD is slowly being opened up and this is the post - earthquake result of Cashel Mall. A vibrant, fresh look with high end shopping in colourful container shops. A really good step forward for the city.
The CBD is slowly being opened up and this is the post - earthquake result of Cashel Mall. A vibrant, fresh look with high end shopping in colourful container shops. A really good step forward for the city.
In the top two frames a man discovers a pile of stinking bones and scratches his head in puzzlement; he is pleased when a second man rushes towards him with another bone which, in the lower frame, he proceeds to try to fit together with a bone from the original stack. The second man then realizes that the dinosaur from which he took the bone is starting to shudder and quake. Context - This is a metaphor about the rebuilding the city of Christchurch after the earthquake of 22 February 2011. Debates are beginning about the preserving or knocking down of historic buildings as well as the rebuilding or repairing of houses. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
A woman walks along a ruined road passing a broken sewer leaking raw sewage; rats abound and a voice from a nearby medical centre asks 'Got anything for cholera, Delhi belly and dysentery?' A sign offering 'Flu shots now' stands outside the centre. Context - Christchurch post earthquake of 22 February 2011. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon depicts a little plant with two tiny leaves; text reads 'THE GARDEN CITY'. A second version includes the words 'Begins to grow again'. Context - The earliest stages of the rebuilding of Christchurch after the earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011. Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Plastic and wood model of three liquefaction volcanoes. The working model pumps water over the grey surface which is decorated with a basket of laundry, a bucket of pegs and a football. The model is surrounded by artificial green grass and rests atop a black wooden base.
The three versions of this cartoon show words reading 'rumble' and 'crack' and refer to problems in relationships between the Christchurch City Council and the government about how to manage the rebuilding of Christchurch after the second most damaging earthquake that occured one year ago today (22 February 2011) Quantity: 3 digital cartoon(s).
A photograph of members of the Wellington Emergency Management Office Emergency Response Team in the hanger of a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules. The ERT members are travelling to Christchurch to help out in the emergency response to the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Blankets, tent poles, and other supplies have been stacked in the centre of the hanger.
The brick facade has fallen from the former Princess Cinema in New Brighton, exposing the rooms inside, and crushing a car parked below. The photographer comments, "The front of the old Princess Cinema in New Brighton after the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand on 22 February. Under the pile of bricks is a luckily unoccupied blue car. The word CLEAR on the broken facade is to show that there is no one in the car. This building has now been knocked down as it was so dangerous".
Text at the top of the cartoon reads 'News - A "Moon man non-event lunch" will be held above Christchurch to defy quake predictions for that day'. In tea rooms on hills above Christchurch a group of people enjoy lunch as they defy precaution against a predicted earthquake. They order a 'pot o' tea', 'pie & chips', 'sandwich & coke' and a 'shake & roll'; above in a black and thunderous cloud God thinks he heard someone request a shake & a roll'. Context - After the two big earthquakes in Christchurch on 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011, the so-called Moon Man Ken Ring is backing away from his prediction that Christchurch will be whacked by a huge earthquake today (20 March 2011). His claims have terrified Cantabrians and led to people fleeing Christchurch. M.P. Nick Smith and the Skeptics Society are planning a lunch in one of Christchurch's highest, oldest, stone buildings - on the day that "moon man" Ken Ring says the city will be hit by another devastating earthquake ; the lunch will be held at noon on March 20 at the Sign of the Kiwi, on the top of the Port Hills - which Smith said was the closest building to the epicentre of the February 22 quake. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The arms of a woman who represents New Zealand reach out to a baby to whom she has just given birth. The baby represents '2011' and is a particularly hideous specimen. The doctor who holds the baby says 'He's cute now but wait 'til he gets older!' Outside the window is seen a cracked and damaged landscape and a storm rages; the headstone of a grave reads 'RIP 2010'. Context - Christchurch or maybe the South Island have had a bad year because of the Pike River Mine disaster and the earthquake of 4 September 2010. There is perhaps prescience in this cartoon because on 22 February 2011 a much worse earthquake hit Christchurch. Published in The Press Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
In three small frames above the main frame, milk tankers are shown bumping wildly over Christchurch roads made uneven by the earthquakes of September 4 2010 and February 22 2011; and in the large frame below a man is painting out the word 'milk' on a tanker and replacing it with the word 'butter'. Context - the bad roads caused by the erathquakes in Canterbury have turned the milk into butter. Colour and black and white versions available Title from file name Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Text reads 'ROCK STAR' and below is an image of a large rock named 'Rocky'. Context - When a 25-tonne boulder crashed through the garage roof of Phil Johnson's home and left it in ruins during the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February he sold it at an online auction for NZ$60,500 (#27,652). Mr Johnson dubbed it "Rocky". The money will be used to help quake victims. Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
A man reading a newspaper wails and sobs when he discovers that Christchurch will not be hosting any Rugby World Cup games. The newspaper is covered with real disaster news like the Japanese earthquake and potential nuclear disaster, economy problems , and 'aftershock anxiety'. Context - The Christchurch earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011 that have led to the decision that because of the amount of damage to the venue plus infrastructures and accommodation for visitors the Rugby World Cup will not be played in Christchurch. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon consists of the words 'More quACHES' drawn with a stencil. Context - Two more earthquakes rocked Christchurch on 13th June, following those of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011. The first magnitude 5.5 quake struck at 1pm, 10 kilometres east of Christchurch at Taylor's Mistake beach, at a depth of 11 kilometres, and sent people scrambling for cover. It was followed at 2.20pm by a more powerful magnitude 6 quake, centred 10 kilometres southeast of the city and 9km underground. There is a wordplay on 'quakes' and 'aches'. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Text top left reads 'A tale of two quakes' In the first frame a man runs from 'radiation leaks' yelling 'The end of the world!' and in the second frame a man runs from the notion 'No World Cup?' yelling 'The end of the world!' Context - the terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan 11 March 2011 that have led to the overheating of several nuclear power plants that are leaking radiation and threaten a nuclear catastrophe and the Christchurch earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011 that have led to the decision that because of the amount of damage to the venue plus infrastructures and accommodation for visitors the Rugby World Cup will not be played in Christchurch. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
In the first seven of eight frames astrologer Ken Moon predicts a 'black day ahead', a 'day of great shaking' and 'terror' and 'children crying' and 'people fleeing' and 'a day in May'. In the last frame people realize that he has seen, not an earthquake, but the budget. Context - After the two big earthquakes in Christchurch on 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011, the so-called Moon Man, Ken Ring, backed away from his prediction that Christchurch would be whacked by a huge earthquake on the 20th of March 2011. His claims terrified Cantabrians and led to people fleeing Christchurch. The 2011 budget will be announced in May and predictions are that it will be a cost-cutting one because of New Zealand's debt, partially caused by the Christchurch earthquakes. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon shows the word 'survivors' in very large print which fades out towards the end of the word. A second version is the same as the first but has the text 'Search called off' in the top left corner. A third version shows the word 'survivors' against a background of the ruined Christchurch Cathedral. Context - The moment when it was realized that no more people could have survived the Christchurch of 22 February 2011. To date there have been about 165 confirmed dead but there are more bodies still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings. Three versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 3 digital cartoon(s).
A small wooden cross is inserted between stones laid out in the shape of a large cross. The photographer comments, "This is an Earthquake Memorial on Manchester Street, Christchurch, New Zealand. This message is on the tree next to the memorial: 'Earthquake Memorial. 185 people died as a result of the 22 February 2011 earthquake. 185 precious lives are remembered here, with 185 pieces of Halswell stone recovered from St Luke's Church, damaged beyond repair on that day. May they rest in peace. St Luke's in the City'".
The cartoon shows a row of gold statuettes of Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker smiling and holding a shovel; these are 'The Bob Awards - for supporting roles in Christchurch'. Context - on 22 February 2011 a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in Christchurch, which has probably killed more than 200 people (at this point the number is still not known) and caused very severe damage. The courage, generosity and 'can do' attitude of the people has been wonderful and Bob Parker himself is showing himself a tireless and cheerful mayor in extraordinary circumstances. Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon shows a rugby goalpost in a bad state of repair; it is held together with bandages and when a player kicks a ball that represents 'World Cup Games' towards the goalpost, it hits one of the side posts that flies a Christchurch flag, causing the post to break. Context - the decision that Christchurch will not be able to host any of the Rugby World Cup games because of the damage caused by the earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The brick facade has fallen from the former Princess Cinema in New Brighton, exposing the rooms inside, and crushing a car parked below. The photographer comments, "The front of the old Princess Cinema in New Brighton after the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand on 22 February. Under the pile of bricks is a luckily unoccupied blue car. The word CLEAR on the broken facade is to show that there is no one in the car. This building has now been knocked down as it was so dangerous".
An arm representing the 'Citizens & Volunteers of Christchurch' offers an Oscar Award for 'True Grit'. Context - Admiration at the way the people and the volunteers have managed after the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011. True Grit is a 2010 American Western film written and directed by the Coen brothers. It is the second adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name, which was previously adapted for film in 1969 starring John Wayne. Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Cartoon depicts a person wearing a "Rachel Hunter disguise" saying "Maybe NOW they'll let me into the Red Zone!". A second person responds "It won't happen overnight... but it will happen!". Refers to frustration from Christchurch business owners at not being allowed into the Red Zone following the earthquake on 22 February 2011. Source of information: Heather, Ben. "Anger rising outside red zone". 'The Press', 3 June 2011, https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5094323/Anger-rising-outside-red-zone accessed 25 November 2025. Title taken from item. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s). Processing information: Description written by Library staff updated as part of reparative description work November 2025. Details available on request.
ACT leader Rodney Hide stands alone in the middle of a blasted plain that was once the 'Christchurch CBD' and says 'A level playing field, excellent. Now we can leave the rest to the market'. Context - Christchurch after the earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011. ACT explicitly promotes a free market philosophy - a (literal) level playing field in the Christchurch CBD sounds like an excellent opportunity to test the powers of the free market. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Detail of damage to the former Princess Cinema in New Brighton. Bricks have fallen from the wall, exposing the interior. The photographer comments, "This is the back of the old Princess Cinema in New Brighton after the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand on 22 February. The bricks seem to be just on the edge of falling. This building has now been knocked down as it was so dangerous".
Two businessmen emerge from a building wondering whether 'Bill English' has ''Made any uplifting pronouncements on the economy or budget lately?..' On the footpath outside is Finance Minister Bill English wearing a sandwich board that reads 'the end is nigh' and carrying a banner that reads 'We're doomed'. Context - the impact of an already struggling economy of the Christchurch earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Text across the top of the cartoon reads 'always design in context' There is a globe, small in the context, with a little message reading 'you are here' pointing, perhaps, to New Zealand or even more specifically, Christchurch; the globe is being threatened from all sides by forces of nature represented by the hand of god reaching out of clouds. Context - the Christchurch earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011 and the idea that buildings must be designed in the context of their environment - NZ being earthquake-prone. Perhaps also the idea of 'design in context' in a broader sense. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A cheerful old woman sits with a cup of tea on her sofa watching television with an enormous boulder beside her. She says 'Big and solid it reminded me of my late husband but then I realized that in two weeks it hasn't once broken wind, belched or called for a beer, or gone and changed the channel and I think I'm in love!' The little Evans man says 'Stone me!' Context - The Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011. Some people remain cheerful and optimistic in spite of dreadfully difficult conditions. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
