Colourful touch finishes big Bellarine road build

A MAJOR road project at Drysdale now has a touch of local flair with the addition of glass artwork added to its pedestrian underpass.

Artist Diane Schofield designed a series of glass art letters that have been etched into the walls of the Drysdale underpass which spell inspirational words hand-picked by Bellarine school students.

The artwork is a nod to the Festival of Glass event which is an annual fixture of the north Bellarine in January, February and March.
Festival of Glass convenor Mercedes Drummond said she was thrilled the walkway now had a permanent installation of local mosaic work after a frustrating period for its thriving Bellarine community.

“The Festival of Glass is a well-loved event in Drysdale, but it has been postponed over the last couple of years due to COVID, so we are thrilled to have glass art featured as part of the Drysdale underpass so that it can be viewed and enjoyed by the local community all year round,” Ms Drummond said.

“We’re happy to see that the Drysdale Bypass has had such an impact on reducing traffic in the township, in particular moving the high volume of large trucks away from middle of town, making it a safer place for everyone.”

Meanwhile, the state government said the $117 million Drysdale bypass had cut in half traffic on Drysdale’s High Street since opening in June 2020, while improving travel routes to vital community infrastructure such as a school and sporting precinct.

Bellarine MP Lisa Neville welcomed the finishing touch of the mosaic work.

“The Drysdale Bypass has made life easier and safer for all road users in the area, including pedestrians and cyclists who use the underpass to access the education, arts and sporting precinct on Peninsula Drive,” she said.

“We have exceptionally talented artists right here in the Drysdale region and the inclusion of the glass art on the underpass is a wonderful mini-exhibition of local creativity for our community to enjoy.”