Docklands’ public art popular with tourists

Public art in Docklands is becoming more popular with tourists, with figures in its first year showing the largest number of international downloads of the Harbourside Docklands Art Trail app are coming from China.

Chinese tourists are leading the way in wanting to learn more about the public art in Docklands, with almost 3,000 downloads of the app via Apple in its first year.

The statistics have prompted Development Victoria to translate the accompanying Art Trail brochure into simplified Chinese and make it available at the Melbourne Visitor Hub.

The Harbourside Docklands Art Trail app was created by Development Victoria to showcase the range of public art on show in Docklands.

Featuring 25 pieces of art in Docklands, the trail covers a range of themes including land and sea, past and present, humanity and technology and what it means to be Australian.

Development Victoria’s Group Head Precincts, Mr Geoff Ward, said the Docklands public art program featured renowned Australian artists, as well as a mix of international artists.

“We are proud to oversee the extensive public art program in Docklands and it is great that it is attracting the attention of tourists,” he said.

“The majority of the featured artists in the art app and brochure are Melbourne-based, such as RONE, Callum Morton, Alexander Knox, Kate Daw and Stewart Russell and we are now showcasing their work to an international audience.”

Minister for Priority Precincts, Gavin Jennings said “Melbourne’s CBD has its laneways and graffiti art which are huge drawcards; Docklands features a selection of amazing sculptures and public art which are growing in stature.”

The walking trail has been divided into three sections: “Real and unreal”; “The dynamic earth” and “You, us and them” and takes art lovers on a journey through Docklands from Marvel Stadium, along Harbour Esplanade to Waterfront City, Victoria Harbour and Batman’s Hill.

Each section is around 2.5 kilometres and takes approximately one hour to complete.

The app has been developed for both Apple and Android and can be downloaded from the Apple Store and Google Play. 

The translated Harbourside Art Trail brochure is available at The Melbourne Visitor Centre and the original brochure is also available at the Library at the Dock.