Family Violence Memorial 2022

Summary

Location: St Andrews Place Reserve, East Melbourne

The Family Violence Memorial is defined by a field of purple flowers that bloom year-round – symbolic of the global movement to end family violence.
A welcoming and inclusive place for the whole community, the memorial is formed around a paved deck leading to a folded grass gathering area sheltered by a comforting English Elm. The tree is central to the space and represents the passing of time, renewal and a bright future. Through this thoughtful design, the Family Violence Memorial honours the lives of those lost and remembers the potential that those lives held. It is a space to stand in solidarity with victim-survivors and share in hope and healing.

The design team consulted with victim survivor groups as well as Traditional Owners. A smoking vessel placed at the end of a pathway is etched with the words manifested from conversations with Traditional Owners: “Ngarru biik marrna Guliny dillbadin,” which means “lore of the land keeps people safe.”

The memorial also shines a light on the vital work being done in Victoria to build a future free from violence and the role we all have to play in this. It also serves as a permanent reminder to those experiencing family violence that support is available to them.

The memorial is designed to be accessible for visitors of all abilities and access needs including wheelchair-users, people with low/reduced mobility and carers with prams.
The design has evolved in consultation with the City of Melbourne, the Department of Premier and Cabinet Office for Women, The Victims and Survivors Advisory Committee, Forced Adoption Practices, Indigenous Advisor Sarah Lynn Rees (JCB IAAD) and The Traditional Owners of Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung and Bunurong. The project was officially opened on 4 April, 2022.

Images by Peter Bennetts