Melbourne farewells iconic upside-down tram artwork on Spencer St

One of Melbourne’s more quirky and recognisable public artworks is set to disappear from the edge of Docklands, with the City of Melbourne confirming it will remove Raising the Rattler Pole from the corner of Flinders and Spencer streets this month.

Better known to many as the upside-down W-Class tram sculpture outside the Grand Hotel, the artwork has been a distinctive feature of the western end of the CBD since 2013.

In a statement, the City of Melbourne said the decision had been made after concerns emerged about the condition of the piece.

“After careful consideration, the City of Melbourne has made the decision to retire the artwork on Spencer St,” a spokesperson said.

“In collaboration with the artist, we have agreed the artwork is showing signs of deterioration and poses potential safety risks.”

The removal was scheduled to take place overnight on May 16 and 17 after 10pm to minimise disruption. Once the sculpture is gone, the site will be reinstated with grass.

The work, created by artist David Michael Bell, was installed in 2013 through the City of Melbourne’s Public Art Program and was originally intended to have a lifespan of around five years. Instead, it has remained in place for more than 12 years, becoming an unexpected but enduring visual landmark at one of the city’s busiest gateway corners.

When first unveiled, the sculpture was described as a tribute to Melbourne’s deep affection for the W-Class tram, particularly the 1040 model, the last W-Class “rattler” built in 1956. Rising 10 metres into the air at a 10-degree angle, the tram appeared to balance improbably on its pole, giving passers-by a playful and unmistakably Melbourne image.

At the time, Bell told Docklands News he wanted to honour an object rather than a person.

“There are huge stone statues and plinths all over the world as tribute to people, but I wanted to pay tribute to an object,” he said in 2013.

“Raising the Rattler Pole is a piece that everyone can identify with, while remembering their own stories.”

The sculpture quickly became one of those artworks that locals and visitors alike seemed to absorb into the mental map of the city, particularly at the western edge of the CBD where Docklands, Spencer St and Flinders St converge.

While its removal will disappoint some Melburnians, its longevity has already far exceeded expectations.

And in that sense, Raising the Rattler Pole has done more than originally asked of it: not only as a public artwork, but as a small and memorable marker of Melbourne’s tram-loving identity.

Image: Huy Long.