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[title]Grand Final week in Melbourne has always featured ardent footy supporters decking their houses and yards in their team's colours. But at the risk of incurring the wrath of the 17 other teams in the competition, dare we say the west does it best?
If you live west of the Maribyrnong River, you can barely go ten metres down your street right now without running into Western Bulldogs paraphernalia, with the team vying for its third premiership (against the Melbourne Demons) in the 2021 AFL Grand Final on Saturday, September 25. One fan has decided to showcase the massive number of Bulldogs murals, banners and decorations across the city with an online interactive map.
The Western Bulldogs Art Trail is an online map showcasing all the Western Bulldogs street art across Melbourne's west. The map was created by architecture assistant, graduate town planner and Footscray resident Suraya, who launched the map after seeing a Bulldogs mural while out jogging. "It instantly brought a smile to my face as I felt this form of connection with the person or community who had painted it. As a migrant from Malaysia, I don't have a lot of history or many family ties in Australia, but footy has given me that," Suraya says.
"I thought that this could be a way I could give back to the footy team for having given me something to look forward to every weekend on the telly in lockdown."
The map has only been online since September 17 but already features 40 murals and works, many of which were supplied by locals reaching out to Suraya through the Footscray Good Karma Network. "I was a bit nervous and thought people would find it weird, but the support has been overwhelming," says Suraya. "Locals are really proud of their suburbs and I'm happy that I have met more people in the community through this initiative. I'm an extrovert and this has given me that social interaction I miss in lockdown."
The Western Bulldogs Art Trail is an ongoing project, with Suraya keen to add more works to the map. You can also follow the trail on Instagram, and if you know something that you think should be featured, snap a picture and send it to Suraya via email along with the artwork's address. The work can be from any location in Melbourne – love for the Bulldogs has no borders.