More Info →Libertyland, corner of Tremaine Avenue and Roy Street

This building was constructed for R W H Symington and Co. (N Z) Ltd, who first established themselves in New Zealand in 1934. Specialising in corsetry and underwear manufacturing, a small factory was built in Palmerston North in 1937, and used until "Libertyland " was completed and opened in 1946. It had three floors, with a large ground floor for the knitting machines, cutting and sewing rooms on the first floor and a spiral staircase leading to the circular area on top. The company was acquired by Courtalds Pty (UK) in 1965 and then in 1990 became a wholly owed subsidy of Lane Walker Rudkin (LWR) lndustries Ltd, New Zealand’s largest textile garment company. Libertyland closed for business in July 2009. Empty since that time, it was demolished in 2012 to make way for a funeral home, as it was deemed too expensive to make it earthquake safe. The 17 Phoeneix palms which line the street frontage are protected under the PNCC District Plan. This photograph was taking during demolition, when the interior was gutted and only the exterior shell remained.