Nicky Winmar to be Honoured with Statue

An iconic Indigenous football player and an even more iconic Australian moment is being honoured by a bronze statue to be situated at Optus Stadium in Perth. In a week where we are celebrating Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander achievements, this is one to be talking about and excited about throughout NAIDOC week.

Nicky Winmar, a former Indigenous player of the St Kilda Football Club will go down in history as one of the greatest to play the game. However, an act of bravery and initiative to stand up against racism in 1993 will be a story retold forever.

In light of this iconic incident, a statue will be installed at Optus Stadium in Perth to keep its legacy running.

Although Nicky Winmar played his football for St Kilda, he has fought for his statue to be placed in his birth place of Perth. The erection of the statue is an admirable decision by the AFL. However, statues like these can serve more than one purpose.

Recently, a statue of Donald Bradman situated at Adelaide Oval was moved closer to the stadium to protect civilians from any perceived danger such as hostile vehicle attacks, acting as a layer of protection and barrier against such attacks.

Australian Bollards is a firm believer in undertaking a soft approach to hard security. This soft approach to hard security is embodied by the ability of the statue to allow civilians to feel safe in such areas.

How does it do this? When looking at the Don Bradman, Nicky Winmar or any other such statue, the patron is not considering any potential dangers but is rather reminiscing on what a great player they were.

The statue is an important part of safety, even if it was not intended to be used in that manner. Moreover, alternatives such as VBIED Designer Bollards can be implemented in such spaces. The bollards can allow for protection, seating, lighting and are aesthetically pleasing. 

Attending sporting events is a major part of Australian lives. Unfortunately, we are surrounded with potential dangers to ourselves and our loved ones. Implementations such as statues, designer bollards or event bollards can help keep our friends and family safe.

To learn more about our soft approach to hard security, contact us on +613 9459 3488 or look at our online catalogue.