The creative art of making a city sparkle

I GET nervous.

Every morning before I switch on the mike I get nervous, before I host a function I get nervous, but when you’re asked to stand up in front of the greatest stars, the new stars, the behind- the- scenes geniuses, the managers, the owners, the CEOs, and people you grew up idolising in radio, you fair dinkum poop yourself.

That was me Saturday night. But I must be honest to you, I was so proud to be the only regional bloke there, and with the privilege of saying how proud he was of his place in paradise, Townsville.

It’s the radio version of the Logies and I was up to speak briefly, and present a few awards, and it happened at a glittering event in Melbourne.

I didn’t wear glitter by the way, well not much, but I certainly wore colours. After all I’m not sure what “black tie” means.

The boss had me flying back on Monday, so I had Sunday and Monday morning to wander this wonderful city, and to look and learn.

OK it has near four million — they say 10,000 people move to Melbourne a month, true ( closest is we get 10,000 mossies moving to my place a day) and the city is growing even more around the old docks and outer beach areas.

Huge units in the docklands, living on top of the shops, and naturally, many people don’t own cars, for goodness sake! Shopping ( my girl asked me if she could live in the DFO), entertainment, restaurants, sport, travel, all central. We are not Melbourne, but the lessons are the same.

What struck me was the amount of outdoor art. From statues of walkers off to work, a train in a park looking as though it had flown off the line and landed head first in the dirt, corners of a library building appearing from the pavement, new streets being blocked off for malls, old buildings looking great … most extraordinary.

I asked some important people in council about our stadium and the art that would be there, and said “we” should decide what it is.

I was told it was a state responsibility … well that’s nice.

I hope it’s our concepts used. After all it’s our money, our city, our stories. Maybe my mates in the State Government can tell me. The time is now, eh. And by the way, the trams in the city are free, which is very wise.

We do have some wonderful outdoor art, the steel coconuts are my favourite, and yes the cabbies’ story of feeding the palms iron filings to grow them has certainly worked on many visitors.

Strand Ephemera, our very own sculpture festival, is next year, and we need to start planning so great art is made, and the Art Acquisition Board can buy it. Local, that is.

I’d love to see the schools put more in, or I might enter Ephemera again next year. I was thinking of hanging a hidden speaker from a mighty fig, with the classics playing from the trunk, and call it Bach! Happy Days Ooroo PS: There is no place better than our place, home.