A visit from Dame Edna’s friend

Southbank’s arts precinct is used to playing host to big name guests, but they don’t get any bigger than character-acting superstar Barry Humphries, who was in Melbourne for his Dame Edna farewell tour.

Mr Humphries opened a fascinating piece of public art at the Arts Centre, a giant vase of gladioli. The 13-metre structure was created in honour of his great “friend” Dame Edna and to say thank-you to Victoria for being patient while Hamer Hall was being rebuilt.

The artwork is known as Bouquet and was created by Brian Thomson (Pictured left with Barry Humphires), who previously worked with Mr Humphries as an internationally-acclaimed theatrical designer.

Like all gladioli, the flowers were on show for a week and have since been taken down.