Aussie Floating Metal Fish In Demand

Hot demand for metal fish as Games fervour lingers

Corrie Perkin
June 02, 2006
IN a disused storage shed at Melbourne's Docklands yesterday, two of the most popular symbols of the Commonwealth Games came face to face.
Melbourne Lord Mayor John So, the leading man of the closing ceremony in March, had an announcement to make about the future of the metal fish that floated in the Yarra River for the duration of the Games and inexplicably captured the public's imagination.

Why all the fuss over a few pieces of scrap metal? "It's always unpredictable what Australians find amusing," said East Gippsland Shire Mayor Jane Rowe, who was on hand to hear that her community was to receive four of the fish.

Fish fever started during the euphoric post-Games week when Premier Steve Bracks, so swept up by the public's support for the fish sculptures, declared any council that might be interested could have one.

In the weeks that followed, 44 councils expressed interest in acquiring one of the 72 fish. Games Minister Justin Madden said yesterday 33 had been successful. "Many councils were angling for the fish and everyone has netted themselves a prize catch," he said,

"More than 100,000 people lined the banks of the Yarra to see the sculptures during the Games. We're thrilled thousands more will be able to see them in their new homes."

The sculptures, made from perforated and galvanised metal sheets, corrugated iron and recycled plastic, were never intended to have a life after the Games. It took seven months to assemble them and involved 35 artists and designers. Once each fish was connected, the total work was 800m long.

Each sculpture depicted one native fish from each of the participating 71 countries. As the structure required an even number, Australia was given two short-finned eels.

The common carp (Wales), a spinner dolphin (Niue), a white-tip reef shark (Solomon Islands) and a sea bass (Jersey) are destined for East Gippsland. "They were lovely to look at along the Yarra and they captured the imaginations of the people. And now they can continue that in East Gippsland," Ms Rowe said. Here's the catch. It would cost about $10,000 to transport each fish and prepare it for its new home. "But the communities were very definite they wanted a fish, and so we've listened."

Maribyrnong Council, meanwhile, was successful in its bid for the islish fish, a native to Bangladesh. A council representative said residents were keen to acquire this fish because during the Games, Bangladesh was Maribyrnong's adopted country.

The islish is destined for one of the walls at the community's new $18 million acquatic centre, opening on June 25. "We don't know what the condition of the fish is yet, but we understand some of them are a little bit banged up," the spokesman said.

Homes for the fish include an environment centre, a Puffing Billy train station, the beach at Rosebud and the Harold Holt Swimming Pool in Malvern, in the city's southeast.