Putting Lower Hutt on the map
Duane Wilkins has, quite literally, put Lower Hutt on the world map.
The self-described ‘‘geography nut, geo-geek, cyclist and photographer’’ has contributed 750,000 images of his home town to Google Street View over the past 12 months, elevating it to the status of the second-most photographed location in the world on the online mapping tool.
The only place on earth with more panoramic views of its streets on offer for users is the Silicon Valley area of San Francisco in the United States, where Google is based.
So prolific has Wilkins been on Street View that Google will this week make a documentary on the 45-year-old in recognition of his contribution to world mapping.
For much of the past year, he has spent every available spare minute on his bike collecting images of Lower Hutt streets, parks and the route into Wellington.
He has cycled more than 6000km and downloaded 15 terrabytes of pictures, which have been viewed 9 million times. But what is really impressive is that he updates his images every four weeks.
It has all been done in his spare time and he never gets bored.
‘‘I just vary the route on my bike. This morning I did the Avalon TV Studios because I had not been there for a while.’’
Petone Beach is his most popular location with more than 100,000 hits on Street View.
Wilkins previously worked in Iraq and Afghanistan teaching engineers how to use mapping technology. During his time there he was shot in the back, hit in the face by shrapnel, and was in an armoured vehicle that was bombed.
Injuries suffered in the bombing make it hard for him to walk long distances, so he relies on his e-bike to get around town to collect his images.
‘‘I got a compression injury in my back, I still notice it when I stand up.’’