24/08/2026
Good to see it returning at last although I am not sure why it was removed from Swanston St at it didn’t interfere with any construction work.
Interesting it will be on a small piece of council land rather than on the actual Royal Society of Victoria land opposite which I would have thought would have been more appropriate but at least it can taunt them from across the road about their complete lack of planning and ongoing oversight of the expedition
Burke and Wills return to public view 🙌
Crafted from granite and bronze, standing 8 metres tall and weighing 8 tonnes, the famous depiction of the ill-fated explorers has been relocated several times across Melbourne throughout its 160-year history.
Created by sculptor Charles Summers and unveiled in 1865 at a cost of £4,000, equivalent to more than $1.2 million today, the monument was originally installed on the corner of Collins and Russell streets.
Since then, it has journeyed across the city and become an undeniable part of Melbourne's history and streetscape.
Returning to the spotlight after almost 10 years in storage, the monument's new location will include additional signage that shares often-overlooked aspects of the Burke and Wills story – including the support provided by the Yandruwandha people to John King, the expedition's sole survivor.
