Sydneysiders Love Their New Rainbow Crossing

Roads and Maritime Services say that the colourful crossway – located in Taylor Square

and going across Oxford Street – would be removed at the end of March.

But an online petition is proving that many locals want it to be permanent, as a bright

symbol of LGBTI pride in the area.

The crossing is located on a few of the Same Same crew’s way to work each day,
and we’ve seen many delighted responses to it.

This morning we overheard a middle-aged man grinning like a boy a quarter of his age,

excitedly telling a friend on his mobile: “I’m walking across a rainbow street!”

Though the crossing’s total cost of around $110,000 seems steep, local MPs

like the Greens’ Cate Faehrmann know that Sydney Mardi Gras draws a lot

of tourism cash to the city.

She told NSW Parliament today that Mardi Gras brings “a boon of more than

$30 million dollars to the New South Wales economy each year, with approximately

20,000 interstate and overseas visitors coming to Sydney specifically for the festival.”

She thanked the Mardi Gras Board, staff and volunteers for their hard work with this

year’s festival. Her motion passed the NSW Upper House 30 votes to 4.

Since the rainbow crossing was revealed this Tuesday morning, our readers have

sent us several splendid photos of themselves crossing it. A few have gotten us

slightly concerned about safety though… be careful to watch out for traffic –

Oxford Street is a busy thoroughfare.

Adamfoxie blog Int.