Larry LaTrobe, Pamela Irving, bronze sculpture, 1992, 1996
Summary
Location: Swanston Street footpath, outside Melbourne Town Hall
Pamela Irving created Larry LaTrobe in 1992 as part of the Percent for Art Program and Swanston Street redevelopment. It is a life-size dingo-like dog who surveys the activity in City Square. Larry was based loosely on Irving’s dog, Lucy, and on her uncle, Larry. From the moment it was unveiled, Larry LaTrobe became one of Melbourne’s most loved sculptures.
However, it seems it was a little too-loved on one dark winter night in August 1995 - despite being anchored to the site with 30-centimetre bolts, Larry disappeared. Council immediately launched a campaign for its return, but to no avail. On hearing of the theft, Mr Peter Kolliner, who owned the foundry where Larry was cast, offered to produce a second casting. Irving altered the new Larry’s colouring to affect some individuality (it was given a has a redder tinge), but in all other respects it is the same.
Larry was officially re-launched at a site in City Square on 16 September 1996. Melbourne band Jugularity entertained the crowd with an ode to the sculpture, ‘Larry Come Home – a dogumentary’, sung to the tune of ‘Advance Australia Fair’.
In April 2017 Larry LaTrobe was removed from its long standing site at City Square to make way for works in connection with the Metro Tunnel Project. In 2018 he was re-located to the footpath on Swanston Street outside Melbourne Town Hall, close to the corner with Little Collins Street.
