Tourism Oz’s bold Melbourne graffiti move
This seems brave to me – Tourism Australia is promoting graffiti as one of Melbourne’s cultural highlights.
I must admit I’m pro graffiti – I once came back from the UK to Australia via New York so I could see Banksy’s Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill.
In this case, it’s just one of many informational videos on the Tourism Australia YouTube channel.
But nonetheless, this is a risk. For a government-funded body to be seen to be promoting something which big chunks of society see as a blight is pretty bold.
Tim Burrowes
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large. He returned to Mumbrella as Publisher in January 2025
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Perth making a bold bid?
http://theworstofperth.com/201.....perm-bank/
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This is interesting, as I recently met a travel writer from New York who told me Tourism Victoria had specifically requested that he NOT mention the graffiti in an article he wrote after a sponsored visit here. He mentioned it in passing and received an angry email from them.
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Great. So all the shadowy exhibitionists will be attracted by the newer more worldly audience. Good one, Tourism Oz!
Grafitti can be very interesting (think Banksy) but 99% is unartistic dross and vandalism.
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Why not do a proper job and expose international visitors to the real melbourne? we could open a whole sector of the tourism industry by catering to groups of touring social workers.
They could, for example, take the last train to werribee and experience the bitter fruit of societal alienation as disenfranchised young people revolt against patriarchal norms by urinating on seats, cursing loudly and intimidating lone asian passengers.
Then they could observe the revenue room at Vic Police, where large fines for paltry speeding offences are channelled into the Brumby government’s coffers, where they aren’t spent on adequate policing or public safety.
Next stop, the Premier’s PR department, where ex-journalists labour tirelessly to stonewall requests for information from their still-working former colleagues.
Finally, a day in the courts, where a legal system is overseen by a Chief Jusitice who believes ownership of a uterus conveys a unique insight and a special wisdom.
I tell you, it could be a real groweth industry — Visit Victoria, the Shambles State.
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They’ve been using it for long time to promote Melbourne, maybe they should give some money back to the graffiti writers themselves? The same goes with fashion and other advertising agencies who have used graffiti as a backdrop to sell their products for years.
And not to mention companies that have shamelessly ripped off graffiti artists for it’s art direction and typefaces.
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Graffiti is authentic, unfiltered Melbourne. That’s what many “road less travelled” tourists – sorry, this market likes to call itself “travellers” – are looking for.
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Could that be ANY whiter? Cccrrriiinnngggeee
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I’m surprised at what crappy graffiti they chose to present!
There’s some truly sublime work that I had supposed most people would know of. And masses of it! But they’ve not represented it here. Bizarre.
As for it being brave… I don’t think so. Sheesh. It’s already a tourist attraction. The alleys are crammed with wannabe art photographers and wedding parties most weekends all vying for that “edgy feel”. Tourism Australia are just taking a ride on its spray canned tail.
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Wow! What is most interesting is that it has been taken down!! Why? Surely it getting media coverage and having so many people talk about it was what Tourism Australia wanted? Isn’t generating interest the point of advertising?
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Hi Jayne,
It’s back up again and I’ve updated it to a new link.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella