Melbourne’s sporting precinct a corridor for rubbish, vandalism

IT’S meant to be one of Melbourne’s most striking corridors — the grand entrance to the sporting precinct in the world’s most liveable city. But it could just as well be a suburban backwater.

Pointless scrawls mar the rail corridor through Melbourne’s sporting precinct. Picture: Alex Coppel

IT’S meant to be one of Melbourne’s most striking corridors — the grand entrance to the sporting precinct in the world’s most liveable city.

But it could just as well be an industrial wasteland or suburban backwater where a community has quit caring and authorities have given up.

Melbourne or The Bronx?: Graffitied gateway to Melbourne’s sporting precinct

Some say the prolific graffiti between Flinders St Station and Richmond are proof Melbourne is in the grip of a tagging epidemic like nothing seen in any other city of the world.

Pointless scrawls are everywhere.

Thick black tags and illegible names are plastered along the cement bollards on Brunton Ave beneath the mighty MCG.

Mounds of rubbish under each overpass are framed by spray painted calling cards; crooked markings from likely culprits with names like Vench and Sikie and Whiz.

Ugly graffiti and garbage is hardly the image the city wants to portray to tourists. Picture: Alex Coppel.

It’s in Melbourne’s heart, but it could just as easily be an industrial wasteland. Picture: Alex Coppel.

The pointless scrawls have become a blight on the precinct. Picture: Alex Coppel

Garbage is scattered along the rail corridor. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Pedestrians who would normally enjoy a view of the city from the flyover between Melbourne Park and the stadium are plagued by similar sights.

Shipping containers and back walls of hotels and other private properties near Wellington Parade are also targets.

Anybody exiting trams near the rear entrance to Rod Laver Arena are confronted by ugly tags every few paces.

And there is no escape from the blur of rubbish and reckless vandalism for any train commuters peering out the window.

Still, there are some who could see potential in it.

Were it not for the ugly tags they attract, one man suggested the thoroughfare be opened up for legitimate graffiti artists to make their mark and help ad a permanent trail of colour leading into the city.

But it was a view rarely shared by other members of the public who said it was time for authorities to act.

Alan Witton, of Boronia, said it was time a zero tolerance approach was adopted to clean the area up once and for all.

“The faster you get rid of it, the less of an issue it becomes,’’ he said.

“They do it in New York City. Why don’t they do it here? It would be expensive for a little while but it would work.’’

Erin Thomas of Maidstone said it was a bad look.

“I like graffiti but not this,’’ she said.

“This is an eyesore, it promotes rubbish and makes it look like The Bronx.’’

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