Melbourne Eel Nets Skyline

The Melbourne Eel Nets Skyline artwork celebrates the striking new architectural landmarks appearing on Melbourne’s western skyline.

I’m a massive fan and have known to park my car and stare at their unfolding, monumental beauty.

The artwork features the northern portal in Footscray. It is the largest, stretching 121 metres and rising almost 40 metres high.  The arches were precisely engineered and pre-fabricated in New Zealand before being carefully assembled on site. They are crafted from glulam (glued laminated timber).

The Eel Nets will be softly illuminated at night, creating a glowing gateway that welcomes people to Melbourne’s west.

Beyond their beauty, these structures also represent a step toward more sustainable design, using renewable materials and showcasing how major projects can tell local stories.

Eel Traps – First Nations Inspiration

The Eel Nets draw inspiration from the traditional eel traps once used by local Aboriginal communities. These beautifully curved, timber forms honour a vital part of Victoria’s Indigenous heritage, the practice of catching and sharing eels, which sustained communities around the wetlands and rivers for thousand of years prior to colonisation.

Designed by Wood Marsh Architecture and built by the CPB Contractors and John Holland joint venture, the nets blend storytelling, craftsmanship, and advanced engineering. They act as sculptural “filters” of light, softening the transition for drivers moving from daylight into the tunnels.

The Melbourne Eel Nets Skyline artwork is available in A4, A3, A2, A1 and the super enormous A0.