Melbourne Is Responding To Its New Anti-Terror Bollards In The Most Melbourne Way Possible
The latest ones are especially great.
Over the past few weeks the Victorian government has installed more than 100 concrete bollards in locations around the Melbourne CBD, in an effort to prevent drivers from intentionally mounting the curb and hitting pedestrians.
Seems like a sensible public safety initiative, but there is one major downside: these things are ugly as sin.
Fortifying Melbourne. Concrete bollards are being installed to protect the CBD’s biggest attractions from terror attacks @channeltennews pic.twitter.com/wlFNQSDRFu
— Candice Wyatt (@CandiceWyatt10) June 9, 2017
Fortunately, a number of Melburnians have taken it upon themselves to bring a little personality to the concrete cubes, decorating them with street art and colourful fabric coverings.
#Melbourne‘s bollard revolution begins. Someone has carefully measured this concrete abomination & lovingly sewn it a fabric cover #bollards pic.twitter.com/E0xth0ciqo
— Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) June 28, 2017
A stellar attempt at jazzing up a security bollard #melbourne ✨ pic.twitter.com/dAvTq9rkq9
— Lexie Jeuniewic (@LexieGJeuniewic) July 1, 2017
#security bollards in #Melbourne to stop car attacks get the #streetart #makeover @abcnewsMelb pic.twitter.com/XEcv43pXos
— Iskhandar Razak (@Isk137) July 3, 2017
#bollardbandit strikes again!#melbourne #bollards pic.twitter.com/oJsrs3fxTL
— Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) June 28, 2017
Harlequin beauties at southern cross bourke st with their maker @TheHealthyBear
Pics courtesy of the artist #bollards #melbourne #bollart pic.twitter.com/1M1jWtWxzU— Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) July 2, 2017
Recently, people seem to be taking a slightly more tongue-in-cheek approach.
Faith restored in Melbourne – another bollard for you @han_francisco (corner Bourke/Swanston) pic.twitter.com/qyLnTpN9n0
— Eric Gardiner (@eric_gardiner) July 2, 2017
There are plans to eventually replace the temporary bollards with a more attractive option. In the meantime, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has thrown his support behind the boll-art, telling The Age he is a “fan of anything that brightens up the city”.
Thanks for getting in touch. We’re not removing the art from the bollards.
— City of Melbourne (@cityofmelbourne) June 29, 2017
BREAKING: Security concerns as Melbourne artists fight for territory in the exhibition space formerly known as anti-terrorism bollards.
— [ pf ]* (@FyfePeter) July 2, 2017