In spring this year Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc. commissioned David Tatnall, the renowned Australian wilderness landscape photographer, to undertake a record of Royal Park before construction starts on the proposed East West Link Toll Road. David has called his project ‘The Last Summer.’ [At the end of this article, see also actions you can join to save Royal Park and the Zoo.]
He explains:
“Royal Park is the only bushland park in the City of Melbourne - 170 hectares in size, just three kilometres from the GPO. Royal Park is public land and belongs to all Victorians. ‘The Last Summer’ project is a series of large format photographs made of Royal Park, in the summer of 2013 - 2014. Threatened by the massive East - West road project - this could be the last summer for Royal Park.”
See his photos on the website http://www.thelastsummer.org/ (Click on the headings “Colour” and “Black and White” then on numbers to get access to the photo galleries.) David said that he will add new photographs to this website regularly during 2014.
Bob Brown, former Greens Leader and celebrated environmentalist, told David this week on viewing the photos:
“"Your photographs do Royal Park proud. It is a very fine exhibition and beautifully presents the calm of this city haven which is about to be shattered by a storm of tunnel cement and re-directed traffic."
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Julianne Bell PPL VIC Secretary comments:
“ “The East West Link will, if it proceeds, cut an enormous swathe through Royal Park. The City of Melbourne has estimated that 5,200 trees will be axed for this project, including those shown in David’s photos. These include 100 year old River Red Gums and the line of Moreton Bay Fig Trees in Macarthur Road planted by the famous Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller, as Government Botanist, in the days of Governor Charles La Trobe. We regard construction of the East West Link through Royal Park as an act of gross environmental vandalism by the Napthine Government. We thank David for his unique landscape photographs of Royal Park which form an historic record for future generations of our disappearing parklands.”
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David Tatnall’s ‘The Last Summer’ exhibition will be shown at “fortyfivedownstairs” gallery in Melbourne from 11 to 22 March 2014.
Join the action to save Royal Park and the zoo
Protesters are pamphleting all the hundreds of Zoo visitors coming OUT of the Zoo at 5 pm.(The Zoo closes to prepare for the Twilight Concert) Then they pamphlet the hundreds if not thousands of people going IN to the Zoo for the Zoo Twilight Concert between about 5 pm to 7 pm. The Concert starts at 7 pm. There is a huge audience for these flyers. Posters about what the East West Link will do are also visible to people standing in the queue for the Concert. If you would like to join this action, contact jbell5[AT]bigpond - or phone/text - Mobile: 0408022408
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quark
Fri, 2014-03-07 17:06
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David Tatnall- Royal Park photo Exhibition opening Tuesday 11th
Jill Quirk (not verified)
Wed, 2014-03-12 23:12
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Tatnall show is evocative
Sheila Newman
Mon, 2014-04-07 16:25
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Hear Tom Pikusa (silk) vs EastWest Link Tues April 8, Spring St
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