Melbourne’s Turning Those Fuck-Ugly New Security Bollards Into Actual Art

Remember those anti-terrorism safety measures that the city of Melbourne is installing? 

Welp, the temporary concrete bollards are already in place throughout the CBD, and uh, yeah, about those…

Protection: protecting out city #bollards #safe #safety #safetyfirst #winter #winterinthecity #winterwonderland #federationsquare #melbourne @federationsquare

A post shared by LJ Mentioned (@ljmentioned) on Jul 3, 2017 at 5:02am PDT

…they’re kind of fuck-ugly. 

Never fear, though – if there’s one part of Australia where they know how to simultaneously spruce something up and take the ever-loving piss out of it, it’s bloody Melbourne. 

Artistically-inclined folk have already begun turning the big concrete blocks into little installations, using quilts, paint, glitter, minimalist gallery descriptions, and (shudder) yarn-bombing. 

#Melbourne‘s bollard revolution begins. Someone has carefully measured this concrete abomination & lovingly sewn it a fabric cover #bollards pic.twitter.com/E0xth0ciqo

— Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) June 28, 2017

a couple of the original #bollardbandit‘s pieces gone, but a few have popped up in their place at sthn cross#bollards #melbourne #bollart pic.twitter.com/bGz8AVaKZL

— Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) July 3, 2017

Ugly 80cm concrete #bollards at #SouthernCrossStation covered with #bollart. We need for 12mx4km #Skyrail 30cm from homes ?? ?? ?? #SpringSt pic.twitter.com/XC1SoFeHu6

— No Skyrail (@NoSkyrail) July 2, 2017

A new painted bollard on bourke st#bollards #melbourne #bollart pic.twitter.com/lUCaWHlEAS

— Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) July 3, 2017

A new beauty in Bourke St Mall. For those sewing at home the cubes have an edge length of 80-81 cms. #BollArt #Melbourne #StreetArt pic.twitter.com/Ce1AGT4apE

— Grant Taylor (@GrantKTaylor) June 29, 2017

Harlequin beauties at southern cross bourke st with their maker @TheHealthyBear
Pics courtesy of the artist #bollards #melbourne #bollart pic.twitter.com/1M1jWtWxzU

— Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) July 2, 2017

A stellar attempt at jazzing up a security bollard #melbourne ? pic.twitter.com/dAvTq9rkq9

— Lexie Jeuniewic (@LexieGJeuniewic) July 1, 2017

Faith restored in Melbourne – another bollard for you @han_francisco (corner Bourke/Swanston) pic.twitter.com/qyLnTpN9n0

— Eric Gardiner (@eric_gardiner) July 2, 2017

Thanks for getting in touch. We’re not removing the art from the bollards.

— City of Melbourne (@cityofmelbourne) June 29, 2017

People have got into the swing of it enough to be using the hashtag #bollart, which okay, is completely adorable. Please, people of Melbourne: carry on.