Larry La Trobe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Larry La Trobe |
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| Artist | Pamela Irving |
| Year | 1992, 1996 |
| Type | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 70 cm (28 in) |
| Location | Melbourne, Australia |
Larry La Trobe is a famous bronze statue of a dog. You can find it in Melbourne's City Square, right in the heart of the city. It's at the corner of Collins Street and Swanston Street. This friendly dog statue is one of only two artworks that stand freely in the City Square. The Larry La Trobe statue you see today is actually the second one. The first statue was sadly stolen!
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History of Larry La Trobe
How Larry Was Created
A talented Melbourne artist named Pamela Irving created the Larry La Trobe statue. The Melbourne City Council asked her to make it in 1992. It was the first sculpture for Melbourne's Open Air Sculpture Museum.
Pamela based the statue on her own dog, Lucy. Larry isn't a specific dog breed. Instead, Pamela designed him to show a bit of Australian "larrikinism." This means he has a cheeky, playful, and slightly rebellious spirit.
The artist named the statue after her uncle, Larry. The "La Trobe" part was added to connect the statue to Melbourne and the state of Victoria. Charles La Trobe was the very first leader of Victoria.
The Mystery of the Missing Dog
The original Larry La Trobe statue was bolted down very securely. It had 30-centimeter bolts holding it in place. But on the night of August 30-31, 1995, the statue was stolen! People thought it might have been a university prank. Others worried it had been melted down.
The Search for Larry
A local newspaper, the Melbourne Times, started a campaign to find Larry. Their efforts got a lot of public attention. Everyone wanted Larry back!
To help spread the word, a giant, two-meter-tall version of Larry was made. This big replica was part of the 1996 Moomba Parade. The hope was that more publicity would help find the missing statue.
Even with all the public attention, the first Larry statue was never found. No one was ever caught for taking it.
A New Larry Arrives
In 1996, a kind person named Peter Kolliner helped out. He used to own the place where the first Larry was made. Peter paid for a brand new statue to be cast.
The new Larry was made using the exact same mold as the original. But Pamela Irving made a small change. She made the new statue a bit redder. This gave the second Larry its own special look.
The new Larry was put back in City Square. Melbourne's Lord Mayor, Councillor Ivan Deveson, officially showed it to the public on September 16, 1996.
Larry Travels to Japan
The big, two-meter-tall Larry replica from the Moomba Parade went on an adventure. In 1997, it traveled to Osaka, Japan. Osaka is a "sister city" to Melbourne. The giant Larry was part of the Midosuji Parade there. It even won an award for Best Float!
What Larry Looks Like
The Larry La Trobe statue is about 70 centimeters tall. That's about the height of a medium-sized dog. It is made from bronze, which is a strong metal. Some people think Larry looks like a dingo, which is a wild Australian dog. But the artist actually combined different dog features. So, Larry doesn't look like just one specific breed.
Larry in Melbourne's Culture
Larry La Trobe has become a fun part of Melbourne's culture.
Melbourne Comedy Festival
In 1999, Larry's image was a big part of the Melbourne Comedy Festival. Small ceramic statues of Larry were made. These statues showed Larry in funny versions of famous artworks. They were displayed in the windows of Myer department store on Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall.
Melbourne Cup
Pamela Irving also created a special sculpture for the 1999 Melbourne Cup. This famous horse race is a big event in Australia. Her sculpture was called "Phar Larry." It showed Larry riding the legendary racehorse, Phar Lap!
Why Larry is Popular
Larry La Trobe is very easy to find in the city. He's also very friendly-looking and easy to get close to. Because of this, Larry has become one of the most photographed statues in Melbourne. Lots of people stop to take a picture with this famous bronze dog!
Gallery
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The second bronze statue of Larry La Trobe, Melbourne City Square.
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Larry La Trobe statue with the statue of Burke and Wills in the background.
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The second bronze statue of Larry La Trobe created by Melbourne artist Pamela Irving, Melbourne City Square.
