Sydney just unveiled this amazing, permanent, rainbow path

The new rainbow path in Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills, Sydney
The new rainbow path in Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills, Sydney (Photo: Facebook)

Sydney in Australia has just unveiled a 90-foot long rainbow path in one of its best-loved green spaces. You’ll find it in Prince Alfred Park in Surry Hills.

The permanent pathway has been installed to commemorate the legalization of marriage equality in Australia. The site has been chosen to honor the moment in November 2017 when 30,000 people gathered on the lawn to hear the results of Australia’s marriage equality postal survey. Besides the path, this area of the park has also been renamed Equality Green.

 

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The idea for the path came from a local nonprofit, Surry Hills Creative Precinct.

“Surry Hills has long been at the vanguard of diversity and inclusivity, and the name Equality Green is a great reflection of that,” said Leigh Harris, President of the Surry Hills Creative Precinct, in a statement announcing plans for the path last year.

“Having the rainbow walk painted at the site will be a permanent reminder of our contribution to that historic change.”

Related: Gay bars in Sydney

Lord Mayor Clover Moore on the rainbow path
Lord Mayor Clover Moore on the rainbow path (Photo: Jack Begbie/City of Sydney)

Unveiling the new path, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said, “The path represents the progress we’ve made towards equality and the long way to go before our LGBTIQ communities are free of discrimination.

“I thought it was a fabulous idea when the precinct suggested we paint a bright rainbow on Equality Green. This is a permanent tribute to the moment when more than 30,000 Sydneysiders gathered together to hear the results of the marriage equality postal survey on 15 November 2017.”

 

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Related: Sydney Mardi Gras to double in capacity as COVID cases remain low in Australia

The path’s unveiling comes just as Sydney gears up to celebrate its annual LGBTQ Mardi Gras festival.

Because the country has done well to contain the Covid pandemic, this year’s festival will be going ahead, but in a slightly reduced format. Instead of taking place on the streets of Sydney, the procession will take place in Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday, March 6. Around 46,000 spectator tickets have been released to the public.

This week it was announced that British singer Rita Ora would be among the headline performers.

 

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