Skipping Girl Sign, Abbotsford
The Skipping Girl Sign or Skipping Girl Vinegar Sign at 651 Victoria Street within the inner Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford, is the first animated neon sign in Australia. Known colloquially as Little Audrey, it consists of a painted metal structure outlined in neon tubing depicting a little girl skipping a rope. At night the sign's outlines are illuminated, the skipping rope being displayed from four sequential positions to give the appearance of motion.
The sign was designed by artist Jim Minogue (who would go on to build the Nylex Clock in 1961), and built by Neon Electric Signs in 1936 fo the Skipping Girl Vinegar Company. The company rented the sign to Nycander & Co who in turn placed the sign on top of their Nycander factory at 627 Victoria Street in 1936. The sign advertising their "Skipping Girl" brand of vinegar was immediately popular, becoming a well loved landmark. The origin of the connection between vinegar and a skipping girl is a skipping rhyme, usually "salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper, if I dare, I can do better..." to which the rope would be spun faster.
When the Nycander factory was demolished in 1968 the sign was removed. Neon Electric attempted to reacquire Little Audrey, but the demolition company Whelan the Wrecker claimed ownership and sold it to CE Haywwood Pty Ltd, a used car dealership. Following public outcry, a Mr John Benjamin of the nearby electroplating factory Crusader Plate worked with the local council to acquire and reinstate the sign on his own roof. Since the original had been sold, a smaller version was built and placed on the roof of the electroplating factory at 651 Victoria Street in 1970. The 1970 version was listed by the National Trust (Victoria) in 2000, and has also been listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. In the makeover, Audrey lost her 1930s innocence, which saw here wearing a new dress and sporting a longer hairdo.
The sign was illuminated until 2002 when the sign's owners decided to cease funding of the power and maintenance required for operation. In May 2008, an appeal was launched for public donations to restore the sign by energy company AGL Energy, the National Trust (Victoria), the Heritage Council of Victoria, the Melbourne Restoration Fund, the group 'Friends of Audrey', and representatives of the sign's owners Spring & Parks Pty Ltd. Following the appeal, in March 2009 funds for a full restoration were successfully raised.
Little Audrey was taken down for repairs on 23 March 2009. After restoration works were completed by Delta Neon, the sign was placed back on its perch on 10 June of the same year for its new owner, Buchan Foods. Power is currently being paid for by AGL Energy using their 100% GreenPower energy plan.
Melbourne indie pop group Skipping Girl Vinegar named themselves after the sign, stating "We love her, she's part of Melbourne, and an authentic old world pop icon." She is also referenced by another Melbourne band, My Friend the Chocolate Cake, in their song "It's All in the Way".
