A five-month blitz has scrubbed almost 13,000 square metres of illegal graffiti from Maribyrnong walls.
But the council faces an uphill battle in its fight to rid the city of its “bad look”, according to mayor Grant Miles, who said a “staggering amount of illegal graffiti” was removed.
The blitz, from July to November last year, removed 12,614 square metres of graffiti from public and private property.
“Illegal graffiti is a bad look for our city and the removal blitz has made it look a lot better,” he said. “Although the blitz was a success, we acknowledge that it will not stop graffiti returning.”
Council has allocated $130,500 for graffiti removal in 2013-14, with about $100,000 spent during the blitz.
The cost of the blitz and ongoing illegal graffiti management has spurred the council to focus on preventing graffiti from spreading in the first place.
The council is developing a plan to tackle illegal graffiti in the wake of residents, traders, councillors and police becoming increasingly fed up with the “negative visual effects of graffiti”.
“Council’s long-term plan to reduce graffiti is to engage with young people through public art pieces and work with regional stakeholders on the graffiti issue,” Cr Miles said.
The council will work on the plan with other inner Melbourne councils and lobby group LeadWest as well as spray paint industry representatives, retailers and enforcement agencies.
» For free kits for removing graffiti on private property, call 9688 0200
