Skipping Girl Sign
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Coordinates: 37°48′41″S 145°00′39″E / 37.8113°S 145.0108°E The Skipping Girl Sign or Skipping Girl Vinegar Sign, originally known as Little Audrey, is possibly the first animated neon sign in Australia, located in Victoria Street in the inner Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford.[1]
The sign is a painted metal structure depicting a little girl skipping rope. At night it is outlined in neon, and the rope lights up in four positions in sequence giving the appearance of skipping.
It was erected at the Nycander factory on 627 Victoria Street in 1936 to advertise their "Skipping Girl" brand of vinegar, and was immediately popular, and became a well loved landmark. The sign was removed in 1968 when the factory was demolished, and following a public outcry, a smaller version was built in 1970 and placed on the roof of the 1930s Crusader Plate factory nearby at 651 Victoria Street.[2]
The 1970 version was listed by the National Trust (Victoria) in 2000, about the same time the sign ceased operating.
In May 2008, an appeal was launched for public donations to restore the sign by AGL, the National Trust (Victoria)[3], the Heritage Council of Victoria, the Melbourne Restoration Fund, 'Friends of Audrey', the public and the Skipping Girl owners representative, Spring & Parks Pty Ltd.
In March 2009, Energy company AGL , as principal sponsor of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) restoration appeal, along with the Heritage Council of Victoria, Melbourne Heritage Restoration Fund and other public donors have raised funds to restore Little Audrey.[4]
Little Audrey is to be removed from her perch on March the 23rd 2009 and will be fully restored and powered for the next five years by AGL using their 100% GreenPower energy.
Melbourne indie pop group Skipping Girl Vinegar named themselves after the sign stating "We love her, she's part of Melbourne, and an authentic old world pop icon."[5]
She is also referenced in the My Friend the Chocolate Cake song, "It's All in the Way".
[edit] References
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Melbourne, eds. Andrew Brown-May and Shurlee Swain, p. 664.
- ^ National Trust(Victoria) File No. B6017
- ^ Audrey wants to glow up The Age 6 May 2008
- ^ Abbotsford's Skipping Girl gets a light facelift
- ^ http://www.video4viet.com/watchvideo.html?id=sHU4nBpZ2ZQ&title=Skipping+Girl+Vinegar+Interview+For+Spin+Magazine
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
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