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Birds of a feather
Artist Rob Mancini’s exhibition WILD WEST is a large graphic installation of eleven light boxes at Paine Reserve, Newport.
A new exhibition is coming to Newport, which celebrates Hobson Bay’s migratory birds and reinforces the importance of conservation. ‘Wild West’ by local artist Rob Mancini consists of 11 large images of birds that will be fitted into lightboxes at The Outside Gallery, Paine Reserve where they can be viewed during the day and glowing at night. Mancini said he has two passions in life – art and birds. “It’s the coming together of my two interests in the scientific side of birds because these are, most of them are migratory, a lot of them are migratory waders … which do amazing things in terms of what they physically do,” he said. Mancini described his work as a combination of traditional art, street art and pop art, and includes salvaged plywood panels he found around North Williamstown. ‘Wild West’ is open to the public from March 18, and will be running until September.
Council moves on drains By Molly Magennis
12533599-HC07-22
Hobsons Bay council has agreed to address drainage issues in Altona, after the persistent problem was brought to councillors’ attention via a petition presented at the most recent meeting. Councillor Tony Briffa tabled the petition during the March 8 council meeting, which asked for council to address drainage issues in Sugargum Drive, Civic Parade, Grieve Parade, Lug Street and McIntyre Drive, Altona. The drainage issues have caused significant flooding in and around parts of Altona for years, sometimes even damaging to properties. Cr Briffa said the issue is not just a once a year event, but that it happens at least three to
five times a year. “It’s dreadful, so we really need to do something about this long standing issue. I’m grateful for the residents that brought this petition,” she said. Hobsons Bay resident Julian Montebello is the lead petitioner. As a third generation Altona local and as a resident in one of the affected streets, he’s been aware of the issues for years and said it’s only getting worse, largely due to neglect. “All the neighbours were saying to me this has been happening for years, this is constant, council won’t do anything about it, and I said, well that’s wrong. I said I’ll make them do something about it,” he said. Mr Montebello said he made his initial complaint two years ago, on January 19 2020,
and had been going back and forth with council until the petition was finally tabled last week. During that time, he said he had been advised that the council did not have enough money in the budget to address the issue. “I said all I’m hearing these stories, but all my neighbours have lived here for 30, 40 years,” Mr Montebello said. “My next door neighbour, she’s an elderly lady and … [her] whole garage is one metre off the ground because the water comes in and ruins whatever’s in the garage.” “I don’t think those sorts of things are really fair, especially not when you’re paying thousands of dollars a year in rates.” Flooding in McIntyre Drive, Altona. (Julian Montebello)
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