Yes, it was a joke. The tours, that is, not the yard filled with earthquake-caused sand volcanos. They were very real. You can see one covering the driveway in this photo. The signs read as follows. "Tours run 1/2 hourly. $5.25 admission. Eftpos unavailable." "If you think this is bad... you should see the back!"
Vehicles drive through a flooded road in New Brighton. A sign advertising the stronger Christchurch website reads, 'Rebuilding for our future'.
A photograph of the damaged Englefield Lodge. A sign painted on the house reads, "We will try to save this house".
A photograph of the damaged Englefield Lodge. A sign painted on the house reads, "We will try to save this house".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A truck on Gloucester Street adorned with signs reading, 'Ultimately mean' and 'Black Ice'".
View down Hereford Street, looking west from Madras Street. Road work signs and a crane can be seen in the distance.
An abandoned house on Avonside Drive. A red sign taped to the window states that the house is "Unsafe" to enter.
A photograph of a sign on a painted piano. The photograph is captioned by Paul Corliss, "Gap Fillers, post earthquake. Woolston".
The finished 10 square metre office building, now Gap Filler Headquarters in Sydenham. An information sign can be seen out front.
A photograph of street art at the Addington Saleyards, taken before the Canterbury earthquakes. The artwork is signed by "ZM Clan".
A photograph of street art at the Addington Saleyards, taken before the Canterbury earthquakes. The artwork is signed by "ZM Clan".
A photograph of street art at the Addington Saleyards, taken before the Canterbury earthquakes. The artwork is signed by "ZM Clan".
A photograph of a sign advertising the Festival of Flowers, 17 February to 4 March 2012 at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
A new building under construction on Kilmore Street. A sign reading, 'Danger keep out' has been placed on the security fence.
A sign for the Antique Store on the footpath of Salisbury Street, amongst broken glass and debris from the building above.
A photograph of street art on the corner of Fitzgerald Avenue and Alfred Street. The artwork is signed by "The Kids".
A photograph of street art on the side of the Funky Pumpkin building in New Brighton. The artwork is signed 'Porta'.
An entranceway in the Cranmer Centre on Armagh Street. A sign on the door reads "Cranmer Centre closed until further notice".
A satirical sign for Tui Beer on the side of a bar in Sydenham reading, "Earthquake? We closed for renovations. Yeah right. Tui".
A sign reading, "For sale by tender" outside an empty lot on Manchester Street. A building has been demolished and cleared from the site.
A sign on the side of one of the containers in Re:Start mall reads, "Re:Start, proudly supported by Christchurch Earthquake Appeal. Tomorrow starts here".
A photograph of a sign on the BNZ bank in London Street in Lyttelton, reading "We have moved to our 'Lyttel Bank' temporarily".
Damaged property that housed the Talon Arms, a Gunsmith store on Worcester Street. On it are some signs that say 'Free bricks here' and 'Guns gone clear'.
A sign on the fence cordoning off High Street. It reads "Month 1, Month 2, Month 3, Month 4, Month 5, Month 6. When is the recovery starting?
A damaged house inside the CBD cordon, seen through a fence. On the doors are signs that say 'Danger Keep Out' and 'Danger do no enter'.
A sign in the window of a business reads, "We were so moved by the earthquake. Come see us at 6d Washington Way.
A truck laying gravel on the corner of Avonside Drive and Retreat Road, with road cones and "Road Closed" sign, after the September 4th earthquake.
A crane and a digger demolish the Gallery Apartments building on Gloucester Street. A sign that reads, 'Road closed' has been placed in front of the security fencing.
The damaged Haralds building in Papanui has a tarpaulin covering the roof, but still has an Open sign displayed and a sale bin of fabric displayed outside the shop.
Buildings cordoned off at the corner of Victoria and Peterborough Streets. On the cordon fence are signs that inform the public about the businesses' current status.