Melbourne’s daughters and sons

Last year, Kevin was des-per-ate to find the alleged, mythical statue of Kylie Minogue in Melbourne. Alas, we could not find her at all. We were roaming around South bank – far off course.

So I set out to find her this time around, this time with new friends as local guides, exploring the Melbourne docklands.

The docklands are a recent re-developed part of Melbourne. From the 1880s, the former swamp west of Melbourne was used as a dock, with wharfs, railways and industry.

It was gradually abandoned by the 1990, with the exception of a thriving underground rave scene.

In the 2000s, finally, the area was heavily re-developed and is now the site of shopping malls, waterways, local government and apartment buildings, Ethiad Stadium, a ferris wheel…

And a gallery of Melbourne’s most famous daughters and sons, cast in bronze. We found them at the Waterfront, facing the city.

Among them Kylie Minogue (no introduction necessary), John Farnham (‘You’re the voice’), Graham Kennedy (an Australian entertainer and variety performer), Nellie Melba (a world famous operatic soprano in the early 20th century) and Dame Edna (‘Hello, Possums!’).

There’s also a little walk of fame with names of other famous Melburnians, most of the names I did not know – or thought they were American… as Errol Flynn or Olivia Newton-John.

There’s space for one more statue, and I wonder who it will be. I opt for Cate Blanchett, from Melbourne’s suburb Ivanhoe. Who else could it be but the best actress after Meryl Streep…?