By Alesha Capone
Wyndham council has partnered with Powercor to launch a creative approach to tackling graffiti.
The council’s director of city operations, Stephen Thorpe, said that council and the power company have started commissioning murals to be painted on transformer boxes throughout the municipality to help prevent vandalism.
“This approach is working well, and Wyndham has recorded an 85 per cent reduction in graffiti on painted Powercor transformers compared with non-painted transformers,” Mr Thorpe said.
“Council is constantly looking at ways to prevent graffiti in our city and one of the most effective ways to combat this behaviour is through public artwork.”
Wyndham council spends around $360,000 per year removing graffiti on public and private property.
Earlier this month, the council received three complaints about tagging on signs near a Manor Lakes reserve and a fence in Lenigas Crescent.
Mr Thorpe said it would cost ratepayers $160 to remove this graffiti.
“Council records all graffiti incidents and reports them to Victoria Police to assist with their investigations,” he said.
Within the 2018-19 financial year, the council also partnered with 28 primary and secondary schools to deliver 61 graffiti education classes.
The sessions involved a one-hour interactive class highlighting the negative impacts illegal graffiti can have on the community.
To report graffiti or to express an anti-graffiti artwork idea, email graffiti@wyndham.vic.gov.au
