Tag:street art

Hosiers Lane

Unveiling Urban Beauty: A Guide to Victoria’s Street Art

Victoria’s street art scene is a lively showcase of creativity and self-expression. Urban walls have been transformed into stunning works of art, making it a highly respected art form. Street art constantly evolves, capturing the essence of culture, identity, and social commentary. Artists are continually creating new pieces, and new art may replace or cover older ones.

The Evolution of Street Art in Victoria

Victoria’s street Art had humble beginnings as an act of rebellion; however, it has transitioned into a legitimate art form.

graffitta and vandalism at an abandoned factory

Victoria’s street art scene emerged during the 1970s and 1980s, with graffiti artists leaving their marks on public spaces. Initially regarded as vandalism, attitudes changed in the 1990s as artists created more complex and imaginative works. Debates arose about how to distinguish between art and vandalism.

street art vs graffitti and tagging
Union Lane, Melbourne CBD

Street art festivals in Victoria during the early 2000s provided legal spaces for artists to express themselves through murals and graffiti. Notable events like the Stencil Festival and Melbourne International Street Art Festival were crucial in legitimising street art as a recognised art form. As street art gained acceptance, many councils and property owners commissioned artists for larger, socially significant murals celebrating local culture and history.

Rone - Time Exhibition
Time exhibition by Rone
Art and Artworks

As street art gained popularity and commercial appeal, more and more artists entered the traditional art world. For example, exhibitions like Rone’s Time or Empire have showcased his creative skill, earning recognition from collectors and enthusiasts alike. This blending of street and traditional art highlights the incredible talent and versatility of Victoria’s street art scene.

Street Art with a Purpose
Goorambat silo by Dvate
Squirrel Glider and Azure Kingfisher, Rochester Silo by Dvate

Street art has become a crucial part of urban development in recent years. It revitalises and activates urban areas, beautifies spaces, and promotes a sense of community. Victoria encourages street art, which increasingly incorporates cultural and social commentary. Artists use their work to raise awareness about important societal issues and engage the public in meaningful discussions.

kyabram water tank by Dvate
Eastern long-necked turtle, Kyabram Water Tank by Dvate

In Victoria, street artists create visually appealing works and use their art to bring attention to social issues and promote various causes. Their murals and graffiti often convey compelling messages about environmental conservation, mental health, inclusivity, and social justice. In rural areas of Victoria, murals and silos frequently feature local wildlife. Street art, therefore, acts as a platform for activism and encourages positive change.

Inner city Hotspots

While street art can be found throughout Victoria, some areas have become well-known as important hubs for street art.

Brunswick

This suburb in Melbourne is a hub of street art. Stroll along Lygon Street and Sydney Road to uncover an array of vibrant and meaningful murals and graffiti. All highlight the artistic and cultural richness of the area.

Fitzroy and Collingwood

These urban areas are hubs for dynamic street art culture. Stroll through the streets, alleys, and laneways, and you’ll come across numerous murals, stencils, paste-ups, and graffiti pieces. Johnston Street, Brunswick Street, and Smith Street are especially abundant with street art.

Hosier Lane

A quaint cobblestoned alleyway near Flinders St. Station has become a dynamic, ever-changing outdoor gallery.

street art in Hosiers Lane, Melbourne
Hosiers Lane, Melbourne
Street Art Towns
Benalla Wall to Wall Festival

Benalla is considered the street art capital of regional Victoria. Every year, they hold the Wall to Wall Festival of street art, which features incredibly talented and well-known street artists from all over the country and the world. They create breathtaking murals and street art on the walls of buildings around the town. If you’re looking to explore the 65 murals on the art-filled streets of Benalla, you can take a self-guided walk and make the most of your experience by using the Storytowns-Benalla Street Art app. Don’t forget to grab a street art walking map from the Visitor Centre!

  • Squirrel Glider by Dvate
  • Ned Kelly mural by Sirum
  • Artwork by Karl Phillipson
  • Artwork by Skinny
  • Artwork by Adnate
  • Artwork by Julian Clavijo
Bendigo

Another regional centre located in Victoria has incorporated street art into its cultural landscape. The Bendigo Street Art project has brought stunning murals to various locations around the city.

Geelong

Geelong, a city in the southwest of Melbourne, has a thriving street art culture. The lively alleys and walls near Little Malop Street have become attractive outdoor galleries, giving the urban landscape character and creativity.

Fyansford silo Iddles Lane Rochester - victoria's street art
Fyansford, Geelong – these concrete silos by Rone have since been demolished.
Rochester

Rochester is a town in the Campaspe shire that boasts impressive art installations. In this area, there are two silos that Jimmy Dvate has painted. Additionally, there is a laneway that features the artwork of Tim Bowtell on both walls. This laneway has been recently named Iddles Lane in honour of Ron Iddles OAM APM, an accomplished Australian police detective who had a remarkable conviction rate of 99%. His exceptional performance earned him the title of “Australia’s greatest detective.”

Iddles Lane Rochester - victoria's street art
Iddles Lane by Tim Bowtell
Iddles Lane Rochester - victoria's street art
Iddles Lane by Tim Bowtell
St Arnaud

St. Arnaud is a town between Avoca and Donald and was once a central place for gold mining. Kyle Torney, a skilled muralist and oil painter, is a resident of St. Arnaud and has gained recognition in the street art community for his Renaissance-style artwork. His pieces showcase local stories with great attention to detail. Coincidently, St. Arnaud is the region’s starting point of the Silo Art Trail and is a great place to stay overnight before you start the Trail the following day.

St Arnaud victoria's street art
St Arnaud mural of two locals by Tim Bowtell
Warrnambool

Impressive murals and street art collections can be found in the coastal town of Warrnambool. The CBD and laneways feature colourful artworks that reflect the town’s beauty and local themes.

Warrnanmbool mural victoria's street art
Flight of a Thousand Birds, Warrnambool by Jimmi Buscombe
Shepparton

Shepparton has approximately ten street art spots and its award-winning Moooving Art herd. The locals have named ‘Dana Djirrungana Dunguludja Yenbena-l’ to the Aboriginal Street Art Project, which translates to ‘Proud, Strong, Aboriginal People’ in the Yorta Yorta language. The project aims to honour the area’s Aboriginal heritage and traditions while connecting the newly constructed SAM (Shepparton Art Museum) with Shepparton CBD.

victoria's street art Shepparton mural
Shepparton Mural features Elders in the late Aunty Geraldine Briggs and the late Aunty Elizabeth Morgan – Painted by Adnate.
Yarram

The small township of Yarram is in southeast Gippsland, 221 kilometres east of Melbourne. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive down the Princes Highway car.

Yarram boasts impressive artwork by Heesco, a well-known artist from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Heesco relocated to Australia in 2010 and settled in Melbourne, where he has been busy painting walls across the country, including some silos in New South Wales. Yarram has ten outdoor murals and five indoor murals to enjoy. Yarram was also the Gold winner of the 2020 Street Art Awards.

The Cape Nelson Lighthouse

One minor bucket list item of mine was to stay at a lighthouse. I have visited lots of them in the past but never stayed at one and itched to rectify that. Apart from the fun of staying at a heritage lighthouse was the theory that sunrise and sunset, would be so much easier being ‘johnny on the spot’. We chose Cape Nelson Lighthouse for our accomodation down near Portland and booked our stay.

The accom was fabulous. Comfortable beds with quality linen, well appointed kitchen and bathroom and cosy lounge complete with a fire. It also had ducted heating and cooling but we went for the ambiance of the fire 😉

Travelling Down…..

Leaving Melbourne we started driving to Portland via Lismore Vic., and decided to pop in and say hello to Jimmy Buscombe who was commencing work painting the water tower in Lismore Vic., We then travelled on via Warrnambool to see Jimmy’s artwork on the bridge in Warrnambool

At Lismore with Jimmy Buscombe on the way to cape nelson lighthouse
L-R Carole Perry, Jimmy Buscombe and Bevlea
Jimmy's wombat on bridge at on the way to cape nelson lighthouse
Jimmy Buscombe’s wombat at the bridge
father emu and chicks by Jimmy Buscombeon the way to cape nelson lighthouse
Father Emu and Chicks by Jimmy Buscombe
Portland

Arriving in Portland we picked up the keys to the cottage and headed the last 18kms to the lighthouse.

Sunset was a complete bust that night.. and sunrise was no better… so much for being ‘Johnny on the spot’ LOL

Cape Nelson Lighthouse
Cape Nelson Lighthouse

Leaving next morning our luck continued. We stopped off at a Lavender farm that was closed, but they did allow us to take a couple of pics. We then drove into Port Fairy.. past a strange fence of shoes…

Lavender fields not far from cape nelson lighthouse
Lavendar Farm
the shoe fence on the way home from cape nelson lighthouse
The Shoe Fence

Arriving in Port Fairy Google Maps drove us around in circles… we never did find the Port Fairy Lighthouse. Deciding to cut our losses we headed straight for Warnnambool and lunch. And found another Jimmy Buscombe work on the wall near the cafe

flight of a thousand birds by jimmy
Flight Of A Thousand Birds by Jimmy Buscombe

After lunch we continued our journey back to Melbourne… and as a nice surprise came across a field of sunflowers. Two firsts in a weekend.. lighthouse stay and sunflower field.

sunflower field
Sunflower Field

Sadly the no sunset/no sunrise is all too common with our trips away.

Benalla Street Art

An easy 2-hour run north up the Hume from Melbourne will bring you to Benalla street art. A small rural city of around 14,000 residents. It’s a pretty town with botanical gardens and a large attractive lake. A ceramic mural overlooks the lake and the Art Gallery on the opposite shore. But that’s not what draws the tourists. Cue the Benalla Street Art and Silos.

benalla street art

Benalla’s main drawcard is its proximity to the North East Silo Art Trail, an art initiative for regional towns. The Winton Wetlands and Benalla’s famous Wall to Wall festival. The festival attracts thousands of visitors and has been held annually since 2015. It draws street artists from all over the world, including, among others, Guido Van Helton, Adnate, Rone, Dvate, and Sirum.

benalla street art

Hence, Benalla is fast becoming recognised for its impressive street art. Spanning walls in the guise of murals, covering once decrepit laneways, and gracing the sides of shops, the art is everywhere.

benalla street art

I spent a few days driving and walking around Benalla with the aid of the Murals Map but still missed many of them. A second visit is definitely in order though maybe not during the event with all the crowds.

benalla street art

The next festival is 3-5 April 2020.

© Bevlea Ross