Tilly Aston Bell receives a voice
25 August 2006
From left: Vision Australia Chair Kevin Murfitt with Jenny Ault, Tilly Aston's great-great niece, and Lord Mayor John So at the launch of a new audio interpretation of the Tilly Aston Bell Sculpture in Kings Domain.
On Monday, 21 August, Melbourne Lord Mayor John So launched an exciting new audio interpretation of the Tilly Aston Bell sculpture in Kings Domain.
Vision Australia and the City of Melbourne worked in positive partnership to make a key Melbourne sculpture more accessible to people who are blind or vision impaired.
The launch marked 140 years of organised blindness and low vision services in Australia. The official ceremony was followed by a morning tea that celebrated the advancements in rights and services for people who are blind or vision impaired achieved since 1866.
The memorial consists of three connecting bells cast in bronze and features raised images of Tilly Aston.
In 1894, at the age of 21, Tilly Aston founded the first braille library in Australia. A year later, she founded the Association for the Advancement of the Blind. Both organisations are now part of Vision Australia. Tilly was the first person with blindness to attend university in Australia and through the Association she obtained our nation's first voting rights, pension and travel concessions for the blind community.
The audio interpretation explains the bell's history and its connection with Tilly Aston and Vision Australia as well as artist Anton Hasell's rationale for the sculpture. Music and sound effects will also emanate from sculpture.
Lord Mayor John So said that this project continues a long standing relationship of cooperation and partnership between City of Melbourne and Vision Australia
"We are proud to support Vision Australia and the new audio component of the Tilly Aston Bell sculpture. Council recognises that participation in, and access to, the arts is integral to the well being, creativity and diversity of the Melbourne community," he said.
Locating the Tilly Aston Bell
The bell is located in King's Domain Gardens off Government House Drive, Melbourne
Melway Reference 2G, A10
Parking:
- Some on-street parking is available nearby along St Kilda Rd, Linlithgow Drive and Birdwood Avenue
- Public transport:
- Trams 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67 and 72 run regularly down St Kilda Road Coming from the city get off at stop 17
- Getting off the tram cross road to your left
- Walk two minutes down St Kilda Road and turn left into Government House
Directions by foot from the corner of St Kilda Road and Government House Drive:
- Turn left onto Government House and walk for 300m (5 minutes) crossing roundabout
- Stop at entrance point to pathway leading to King's Domain Garden just before Government House and the toilet block
- Turn left on to this pathway and walk 300 m (5 minute walk)
- At the end of this pathway turn left and walk 20 m (1 minute walk).
- You will now be at the bell which is located on the pathway
