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A rainbow road painted in the heart of St Kilda has been unveiled over the weekend, something the local council has called a “curtain-raiser” to the Pride Centre set to be built around the corner.

Early last month, Port Phillip Council voted to paint a rainbow flag along 35 metres of Jackson Street, as a means to promote diversity and inclusion.


The end product was painted over four days and cost the council roughly $28,000 to construct.

Port Phillip Council Mayor, Bernadene Voss, said the council originally wanted to launch a rainbow-themed landmark during the marriage equality debate as a public show of support for the Yes vote.

“While logistics prevented us from doing this on state government assets during this campaign, we are excited that everyone can now come and enjoy this colourful representation of the diversity for which St Kilda is famous,” she said.

“Hopefully we can do another rainbow-themed celebration in partnership with the government when the Pride Centre opens.”

Sydney is set to have a new rainbow crossing at Taylor Square later this year, five years after it was abruptly removed in the middle of the night.

The crossing will return to Taylor Square at the corner of Bourke and Campbell streets, and include a trial to prioritise pedestrian movements ahead of car movements.

Voss believes St Kilda’s rainbow road is the only one in Australia at the moment, until its precursor in Sydney is reborn later this year.

“We hope our road will be enjoyed by many visitors over the next few years, and that they will share this important message of love and equality through selfies with the hashtag #stkildaisforlove,” she said.

“The resurgence of St Kilda is well and truly underway and we couldn’t be happier that its long-standing reputation as a welcoming place for the LGBTI community continues with our rainbow road.”

The paint meets VicRoads’ standards and is expected to last two years. As Jackson Street is a local road, the council did not need to gain permission from other authorities.