It has taken the Victorian government some time to come to this policy position and the situation is still evolving on whether to conserve particular pieces. (Ie a Banksey piece was provided with a perspex cover but was vandalised nonetheless). Likewise, preserving the lane way buildings within Melbourne’s CBD from demolition and redevelopment is a challenge. So the issues of heritage and conservation are live in Melbourne too.

Melbourne’s policy is terrific. They should offer consultancy to other cities. But I wonder what happens if neighbours object. I can’t imagine my neighbours (or me!) being happy if one household decided to convert its London stock brick to an a Tarzan and Jane mural. In fact they might object if I wanted to paint my house white!

I am still sure that the street art still amazes the viewer and makes people wonder question their consumption patterns as you say!

Melbourne’s street art is wonderful.
In my lack of knowledge about Australia, I would have guessed it would be classified as an un-Australian activity. Is the artwork done by the owners? or with the permission of the owners? – or is it the kind of thing you discover when you get back from a a few drinks, wondering if someone put something extra in them?

[ http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2012/02/15/1226271/772887-melbourne-street-art.jpg ] and [ http://melbourneartcritic.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/dsc04780.jpg ] and [ http://melbourneinphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ROA-Street-art-1.jpg ] and [ http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c92O0Qfw3gM/Tsl4um0k2JI/AAAAAAAAAuw/UWSCQPfEeJY/s1600/StreetArt_melbourne_+Tab.jpg ]

I remain a great admirer of the parliamentary roof garden in Canberra – while continuing to regret that it is a dreary lawn. But maybe its justified. It always surprises me that Canberra’s rainfall is similar to London’s. Its average temperatures are about 10C higher. When London is in the 20s everyone lies on the grass, if its sunny. Does this happen on the green roof?
Sucre is said to be a great city for graffiti. It would be good if cities could find a way of controlling walls where graffiti is welcome/unwelcome.

It would be great to think that landscape architects could develop a more rounded imagination of what the urban realm could look like if it incorporated more than bricks and mortar in an approximation of a concrete jungle!

Otherwise we may have to be satisfied with the return of the mural!
[ http://www.brooklynstreetart.com/theblog/2012/10/14/images-of-the-week-10-14-12/ ]