by Gabriella Vukman
Situated beside the Kalorama fiveways in a grassy field overlooking the picturesque Silvan dam, a new Ridgewalk is in the works for visitors and locals to enjoy.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, the Ridgewalk Land Art Tender was given the go ahead with no councillor’s motioning against its approval.
Councillor Fullagar said, “There has been quite intensive consultation behind this and so there should be. It’s an expensive project. It’s 1.8 million but it involves quite a lot of infrastructure including a DDA-approved pathway down the slope.”
“There will be zig-zags down the pathway to enable all people to reach this amazing art piece.
“The project also includes seating and a picnic area connecting to the rest of the Ridgewalk,” Councillor Fullagar said.
From local history groups to the Wurundjeri indigenous project advisory network, there has been a wide range of consultants involved in this Ridgewalk project.
Councillor Fullagar said, “The artwork itself is an interactive piece, allowing listening to harmonic sounds as you put your ear to it.”
“It’s going to be an amazing attraction for the area and it has taken three different art studios to come up with this project so there’s been a lot of work behind it.”
“It will become a worthy feature and a destination point for visitors and our residents both and an important access point to the Nyarak Barring which runs from Montrose all the way across the ridge line and Hills to Belgrave,” Councillor Fullagar said.
Councillor Child pointed out his own historic ties to the land on which the Ridgewalk is to reside.
“That piece of land is very special to me and my family. I’m a 5th generation of the Child family, the original settlers along with the Jeeves family.”
“In that beautiful grassed area that you described my father and brothers grew potatoes and carrots on that block of land until Walter Jeeves actually sold it to the government to become what it is now.”
“Probably one of the best moves that the Jeeves family ever made,” Councillor Child said.
There were no motions against the approval of the Ridgewalk Land Art tenure.
When this Ridgewalk will be open to the public was not discussed.
