Item MM 110481 Digital Photograph - Coles Store Decorated for Melbourne Olympic Games, Showing Batman & Contemporary Melbourne Skyline, Bourke Street, Melbourne, 1956

Description of Content

View of Coles Department Store, Bourke Street, decorated with a city skyline and figure of man in bushman's hat and red scarf standing in foreground. This photograph shows 'The Foundation of Melbourne', Coles Store in Bourke Street Melbourne, decorated for the 1956 Olympics. This is 'View 2' of the 'New City'. The display tells the story of the founding of Melbourne. John Batman looks over the Yarra and surrounding area announcing: 'This will be the place for a village'. The figure of Batman was 3 dimensional and the background was in panels which were mechanised. Every couple of minutes they would change to reveal the new city of Melbourne. According to the photographer, it was 'an accurate picture of the city of Melbourne at the time, showing the tallest buildings, St Paul's Cathedral and the T & G Building, corner Collins and Russell Streets.' 'View 1' of the display is captured in image MM110480.