The City of Yarra has received a $40,000 Creative Victoria grant towards public artworks to celebrate Australian music, including a special tribute to Richmond music legend Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum AM.

As part of Yarra’s revitalisation works to Wangaratta Street Park, located in Richmond behind the Corner Hotel, a life bronze statue of local music identity Molly Meldrum by acclaimed Melbourne-based artist Louis Laumen will be installed.

Internationally renowned for having promoted the careers of emerging musicians, Meldrum has lived in his Egyptian-themed house in Richmond for almost 40 years. Among many things, he is celebrated for his role as the presenter of Countdown which aired from 1974―1987.

The project was instigated by Meldrum’s long-time friend and supporter Ralph Carr and funds for the fabrication and installation of the statue were raised through an Australian Cultural Fund campaign. 

A Creative Victoria ‘Rockin’ The Laneways’ grant will build on this project by supporting a mural for the park that will tell the story of local music.

The ‘Wall of Music’ mural, by stencil artist 23rd Key depicts a sea of hands of adoring music fans at the Corner Hotel, flanked by gig posters.

23rd Key is a renowned Melbourne based stencil artist who creates photo-realistic stencil artworks. 23rd Key was selected and commissioned after an initial concept design phase. 23rd Key has worked with the Corner Hotel’s photographer in residence to choose a crowd scene which has formed the basis of the mural. 

The statue of Molly Meldrum and the mural by 23rd Key will be launched later in the year and will cap off a number of improvements projects in the Richmond Station precinct.