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Public Toilet Tourism: Art Where You Go

There seems to be a growing trend in Australian Public Amenities (i.e. public toilet blocks) where councils cover them in art, thus turning them into a tourist attraction.

Far from the usual graffiti attacks that often befall Public Toilet Blocks (as well as the occasional, more artistic but still unwanted graffiti 'pieces') I'm talking about a council taking a considered approach to decorating their public facilities then adding the artwork to the local tourist trail.

I first encountered this in the almost a ghost town of Iron Knob, South Australia, where our tour guide directed Rose and I to what he called 'the most photographed toilet block in Australia'. A big call at the time but I did take a photo so one can assume just about everyone he showed it to does.

The toilet block in question couldn't be more Australian with the word 'Dunny' emblazoned across it as part of a mural created by the town's former local artist.

Recently, on our trip to Port Broughton, Enigma and I came across this impressive mural on the toilet block along side the historic jetty. I don't know if it has been made a local tourist attraction but if not it should be. I thought it was worth taking a photo of so no doubt other people do too.

Clearly this mural is a considered work that had to have been commissioned by council in order to achieve such a complete painting of the whole block.

To continue this possible trend I noticed when Enigma and I were in the town of Bute, South Australia, their public toilet block had a mural of the main street painted across one entire wall.

Whilst I didn't take a photo I did notice that the town's tourist brochure of 'things to do and see in Bute' included a photo of the toilet block mural as part of its heritage trail walk.

A few years back I also heard of an Australian town (possibly South Australian but I'm not sure) that rallied together with much fund raising activities in order to turn their entire public toilet block into a work of art - specifically to turn it into a tourist attraction. Way to go - literally!

I'm sure there must be book documenting this phenomenon somewhere? If not there should be.

If you know of, or live in a town where the public toilet facilities have been deliberately made into a tourist attraction please leave a comment and a link to a picture in my comment section. It could be interesting to see what else is out there.

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  1. Mum60May 19, 2009 5:57 PM

    You didn't show us that 'Dunny' photo on your previous road trip. I've saved both those now. Much better than graphitti! We've got plenty of that in Gosnells, Perth!

    Hope you enjoyed your short break. Pity it couldn't have been for longer. I thought you were going for about a week.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mum60May 19, 2009 6:01 PM

    I spelt 'graffiti' wrong. Just thought I'd say so you knew I knew! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. TET (David Arandle)May 21, 2009 7:49 PM

    A week would have been nice. I did mention the toilets at Iron Knob in my road trip but I had better photos to show and I don't think the Dunny mural is particularly great (it's good just not outstanding). Though it is much better than graffiti.

    ReplyDelete

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