A Perfectly Melbourne Day – street art featuring my writing!

I’m so excited to be a part of the Metro Tunnel Creative Program and Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling – along with five other incredible writers – Alice Pung, Bruce Pascoe, Claire G Coleman, Jennifer Downs and Nevo Zisin, and artwork by Enoki. The theme was “Above and beyond”.

I wrote a piece called A Perfectly Melbourne Day – it’s about how Melbourne is the world’s third most liveable city, but for many disabled people, it’s inaccessible – and I’m calling for individuals and organisations to go above and beyond the bare minimum.

“Disabled people have places to go, friends to see, jobs to do. And it’s about time people and organisations ensure we can get there.

Accessibility looks different for everyone, but in my discussions with my friends, it was unanimous that doing the bare minimum is not enough—that we need individuals and organisations to go above and beyond. Accessibility really is just excellent customer service. And as the Disability Visibility Project declares, ‘access is love’. We want to feel that our city, that we love so much, loves us back.”

Some of my words from the written piece are on a billboard, next to the beautiful depiction of an accessible city being embraced, created by Enoki. A quote by the Disability Visibility Project also features.

I always take the time to admire the art on the Metro Tunnel hoardings – even posing for outfit pics – so it’s incredible that I’m featured now.

People who walk past it can click on the QR codes to read or listen to each writer’s piece. My written and audio piece is on the Wheeler Centre website.

Thank you to the Wheeler Centre for always showing me and my writer friends so much love, and to Metro Tunnel Art for brightening the city with hoardings filled with art.

This feature is in City Square, Melbourne – in Swanston St at the Collins St tram stop until November.

You can listen to or read our pieces on Wheeler Centre’s website.

Photos by Phoebe Powell. The photoshoot was fun!