Campaign group’s art fundraiser bid to save Victoria Park
Save Victoria Park lobbyists are holding a unique fundraiser this weekend to fuel their ongoing campaign to stop the build of an Olympic Stadium in the park. Leading artists are on board.
Save Victoria Park lobbyists are holding The Victoria Park: Beauty, Memory, Belonging event as an art exhibition and fundraising event that will showcasing work from Australian artists at Wentworth Galleries in Brisbane’s CBD.
The showcase was curated by world-renowned impressionist artist Dr David Hinchcliffe and will feature pieces of his own alongside the work of Daniel Butterworth, Reece George, Herman Pekel, Tracey Lennon and Robyn Bauer.
Organisers say the collection of fine artwork was inspired by the beauty and meaning of Victoria Park Barrambin.
The exhibition will also feature a Young Artist’s Wall of Art, where children under 16 years of age can create and donate a painting inspired by Victoria Park, to have their work displayed alongside those of established artists.
All proceeds from the exhibition will go towards supporting Save Victoria Park’s ongoing campaign to prevent the construction of a planned Olympic Stadium in the 64-hectare park, which is currently scheduled to begin June 1.
In 1875, the land of Victoria Park was established as public parkland, originally spanning 130 hectares.
Over time, parts of the park have used to make room for roads, railway lines and developments – now less than half of the original parkland remains at just 64 hectares.
SVP estimates that 66 percent of the heritage-listed green space will be utilised by the major stadium build, warm-up tracks and associated infrastructure.
Earlier this year, the state government passed legislation converting Victoria Park from land held in trust to freehold tenure, giving them the ability to sell the land.
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There are still three outstanding and unresolved applications lodged under Section 10 of the federal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act seeking permanent protection of the 150-year-old park.
Yagara Magandjin Aboriginal Corporation spokesperson and Federal Section 10 applicant Gaja Kerry Charlton said they are pursuing every legal avenue possible to protect the park’s cultural heritage through federal proceses.
“We are pro Olympics, but we are anti-stadium in Barrambin. This project shows a lack of care for Aboriginal cultural heritage.”
Deputy premier and minister for development, infrastructure and planning Hon Jarrod Bleijie was approached for comment.
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