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Bright new art installations have taken over three Ballarat CBD laneways as part of the 70th Begonia Festival starting this weekend. McKenzie Street, Hop Lane and Police Lane have all been transformed with installations including floral prints on the ground and walls, along with light installations. The begonia-inspired installations are the work of co-creators Esther Olsson and Hattie Molloy and include chimmer boards and neon begonias. The wall and ground installations have been made using a specialised heritage-friendly printing process that allows the work to be removed without damaging the city’s heritage buildings. Ms Olsson said the the McKenzie Street installation was a modern twist on the popular begonia rugs and was inspired by her upbringing in Ballarat. IN OTHER NEWS: “It was something my nanna was really involved in during the 80s and 90s and I remember visiting them back then. There’s also an artwork that looks at the Begonia Queens and a celebration of the lake and the central environment around the lake and the festival being a part of that area,” she said. “The second laneway is Hop Lane and that an ode to Kevin the begonia grower who’s really famous in Ballarat and also it has a description of all the history of the Ballarat festival, so lots of imagery from his farm and just a really big celebration of the begonia flower in general. “The last laneway, which is Police Lane, was we wanted it to be like a big wow moment where people can kind of come and relax and then also enjoy the flowers. It looks mostly into my favourite begonia flower, the angel begonia, that’s why you see angels and it has a dotted leaf which I find reminds me of deer, so there’s some deers coming off it.” South ward councillor Ben Taylor said the installations were part of council’s focus on including the CBD in the gardens-centric festival. “Ballarat has got some pretty cool laneways, so having the connection from Doveton Street, all the way through McKenzie Street, Hop Lane and through to Police Lane, and using excellent artists that we have here, to do just really cool different installations for the city. During the day, it looks great but then at night it is even better with the lights coming on across the city,” he said. “There’s so much to do, you’re out for dinner, you can walk through, enjoy a walk and and the company and these great installations that we have.” If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat’s story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.

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Bright new art installations have taken over three Ballarat CBD laneways as part of the 70th Begonia Festival starting this weekend.

McKenzie Street, Hop Lane and Police Lane have all been transformed with installations including floral prints on the ground and walls, along with light installations.

The begonia-inspired installations are the work of co-creators Esther Olsson and Hattie Molloy and include chimmer boards and neon begonias.

Esther Olsson’s depictions of angel begonias in Police Lane.

The wall and ground installations have been made using a specialised heritage-friendly printing process that allows the work to be removed without damaging the city’s heritage buildings.

Ms Olsson said the the McKenzie Street installation was a modern twist on the popular begonia rugs and was inspired by her upbringing in Ballarat.

“It was something my nanna was really involved in during the 80s and 90s and I remember visiting them back then. There’s also an artwork that looks at the Begonia Queens and a celebration of the lake and the central environment around the lake and the festival being a part of that area,” she said.

“The second laneway is Hop Lane and that an ode to Kevin the begonia grower who’s really famous in Ballarat and also it has a description of all the history of the Ballarat festival, so lots of imagery from his farm and just a really big celebration of the begonia flower in general.

“The last laneway, which is Police Lane, was we wanted it to be like a big wow moment where people can kind of come and relax and then also enjoy the flowers. It looks mostly into my favourite begonia flower, the angel begonia, that’s why you see angels and it has a dotted leaf which I find reminds me of deer, so there’s some deers coming off it.”

South ward councillor Ben Taylor said the installations were part of council’s focus on including the CBD in the gardens-centric festival.

“Ballarat has got some pretty cool laneways, so having the connection from Doveton Street, all the way through McKenzie Street, Hop Lane and through to Police Lane, and using excellent artists that we have here, to do just really cool different installations for the city. During the day, it looks great but then at night it is even better with the lights coming on across the city,” he said.

“There’s so much to do, you’re out for dinner, you can walk through, enjoy a walk and and the company and these great installations that we have.”

If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat’s story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.