stories from the suburbs, or something.
stories from the suburbs, or something.
Today's Age claims that the silos beneath the Nylex clock in Richmond (actually a suburblet called Cremorne, apparently) are to be demolished as part of a new office development. The sign has heritage protection and will sit on top of whatever building is constructed on the site, but the silos are not regarded as having enough historical importance to protect.
I have almost as much fondness for the silos as for the Nylex sign. Even though they are comparatively recent (early 1960s), they harken back to a more industrial Melbourne. The incongruity of large industrial storage facilities nestled between the hyper-modernity of the over-lit freeway and the Victorian idyll of the bridge, gardens and tree-lined avenue is just the sort of thing which makes a city interesting. There's something of the story of Melbourne in the juxtaposition: Melbourne, wealthy enough to create leisured beauty; Melbourne, working class industrial at root.
I hope Nation Fender can resist the temptation to create a thrusting glass palace.
"i'm gonna burn the silo when you go..."
(as usual, Joe Pernice has a song for the occasion)
it makes me think of the old Paul Kelly song, _leaps and bounds_, too. didn't they shoot the video on top of the silos ?
posted on December 3, 2002 10:59 AM by cos.I saved the photo from the article at the age. It's now my wallpaper on my computer. At least that way, when the silos are gone and a skyline memory, I will still have an image to remind me.
posted on December 6, 2002 10:45 PM by fleur.I came upon this posting by accident. I was looking for an image of the Nylex clock for a project. Until October 2002 I lived about 100 metres from the silos - I love Richmond (and Cremorne) for, as darren so eloquently puts it, 'Melbourne, wealthy enough to create leisured beauty; Melbourne, working class industrial at root.' I miss my Nylex clock. At any hour I could peer out my bedroom window and know instantly the time and the temperature. What an icon. I will do whatever I can to make the silos stay.
posted on December 11, 2002 2:10 AM by Adam Fletcher.Wasn't it Midnight Oil who shot a video of one of their songs on top of the silos?
I really think there's an opportunity as a community to do something here. Yarra City council are fielding objections from residents as far away as Moorabin! I'd be happy to hear from anyone re this. Ray Wood
Well well well...
it appears that another Melbourne icon, AND IT IS AN IMPORTANT ICON!will meet with the grim and short sighted money grabbing mentality of developers & Co...it's just unbeleivable what is allowed to be considered as fair game for the developers...NOW THE NYLEX SIGN AND SILO'S!!!!,anger and bitterness will ooze from my soul when the silo's come down. The silo's are just as much of an icon as the Nylex sign itself. a ballot paper should be dispatched to all that reside near the area! there will be a resounding "YES"-to keep the silo's and the sign indefinately. This sign & silo's are the face of the area, without these the area will never be the same. It has a place in everyone's psyche. Build the boring complex with common everyday cafe elsewhere, ther are plenty of cafe's and non-descript plaza's. ICON, ICON, ICON,-no one knows the value of this word anymore, just the value of money $. if theres any way i can help save the Nylex sign and silo's i would be glad to!