Sunday 22 August 2010

Woolloomooloo, street art

This artwork features a rural scene in the middle of the inner city suburb of Woolloomooloo. It was created by Guerrilla Gardeners, a short-lived reality television, gardening makeover show. The premise of the show was to revitalise parts of the city that they feel had been neglected by local councils.This busy intersection is located  between the ramps of the Eastern Distributor, near a railway bridge for the Eastern Suburbs railway line. The artwork features a row of humorous road signs that provide a useful way of remembering how to spell the suburbs name 'wool', 'loo', 'moo', 'loo' with relevant pictures of a 'sheep', 'toilet', 'cow', 'toilet'. The suburb's name is derived from an Aboriginal word that was used for a historic homestead that was located here. It's unclear if it was derived from either Wallamullah, meaning 'place of plenty' or Wallabahmullah, meaning a 'young black kangaroo'.  I have featured a couple of other Guerrilla Gardeners projects at Moore Park and Barangaroo.

29 comments:

  1. I love it. Very creative and whimsical place.

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  2. Very cool. Love the series of signs.

    Darryl and Ruth : )

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  3. I love it too! I do remember the show too. I love this graffiti in Darlington/Eveleigh. Do you know it (I'm sure you do). Forgive me if you've already mentioned it but I couldn't see it in any of your posts already. Hope you're having a great weekend. Beautiful weather here in Sydney. Prux http://flotsamfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/graffiti-gone-right.html

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  4. what a great place, in peace with itself, this must be. please have a good sunday.

    daily athens

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  5. It´s really an original place:)
    Have a great week end
    Elisa, in Argentina

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  6. Not sure I am in favour of the GG concept. They tend to leave a mess that costs the council in maintenance. All for ratings ... and the show folded anyway!!

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  7. I think I've seen that sign before (here or elsewhere, I don't remember), but I still find it so fun!

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  8. Pru, I hadn't seen that graffiti at Darlington/Eveleigh. Some of it quite good.

    Hilda, I remember Peter had posted it a while ago on his blog Sydney-The Emerald City.

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  9. i couldn't pronounce Woolloomooloo and Wallabahmullah in one go. (LOL) love the signs, and very interesting history, too.

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  10. Wonderful bit of practical art for an otherwise bland corner! It looks fantastic!

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  11. So many stories on your photo - I love the signs, they make me laugh:)

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  12. LOOOVE Aussie sign art! And this one is an original!!

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  13. Those metal blade windmill, I saw some in Queensland, Is it generating any power?

    So you get a hung election, what's next?

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  14. I live just up the road from the 'Loo - how did I miss this? Great shot and nice to find a fellow Sydneysider!

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  15. Why am I thinking "only in Australia"? I cannot imagine pictures of the loo on signs in the middle of Toronto. I think Torontonians are very straight-laced. :)

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  16. Before reading your words, Jim, I was already smiling. It's creative alright. At first blush I liked the idea of the Guerrilla Gardeners, a team who go around beautifying the neighbourhood, but when I read Julie's comment, I was disappointed to learn that they left a mess for local councils to maintain or clean up.

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  17. Ann, this windmill is purely for decoration only. It's looking like a 'hung parliament' but we may not know the outcome for a few weeks.

    EG Wow, I think Australians are quite laid back about this sort of stuff and don't mind having a laugh at ourselves or our culture.

    Francisca, some of their efforts were removed by councils because they didn't have planning approval or weren't willing to maintain, especially the gardens. This one actually doesn't seem like it requires much effort and so far remains intact.

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  18. So witty! Now I can remember the name of woolloomooloo forever!

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  19. I love it! It is definitely a way cool name! Best laugh this morning without a doubt! Love your capture, as always and I love your humor! Hope you have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  20. A friend was telling me about Woolloomooloo just yesterday! and about Wool, loo, moo and loo... :) Great photo.

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  21. The 'Guerrilla Gardens' are good fun. Thanks for sharing this one with us.

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  22. Nice sharing on this picture : I was very glad to discover the work of the Guerrilla gardeners thanks to you.

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  23. Good to keep up to date with what is going on, don't remember seeing that last time I walked by.

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  24. Love the signs but am totally caught up in the fun name Wool loo moo loo, lol. What a fun name to say!

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  25. I love the name!

    Bet that show was fun to watch -- I would have been keeping a list of the places and going to see each of them -- obviously that's what you did too.

    Very nice picture as always Jim

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  26. Sallie, I've provided a link to their website. There's at least two others that I have seen around Sydney but have not photographed yet. They're on my 'to do' list. A few others are sadly gone now.

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Thanks for visiting my blog. Please leave me a message. Jim.

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