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Produced and published by the School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne
Published July 2008
Published July 2008
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Known for generations as 'Little Audrey', an outdoor advertising sign in Abbotsford of a skipping girl is said to be Australia's first animated neon sign. Built and owned by Neon Electric Signs Pty Ltd and leased to Nycander Vinegar, it was erected in 1936 at the Nycander factory at 627 Victoria Street, on the corner of Walmer Street. Whelan the Wrecker demolished the building in 1968, and while the company moved to Altona, the sign was never reinstalled. A replica sign was erected in 1970 on top of the Crusader Plate Co. site at 651 Victoria Street, about 400 m from the original site, later occupied by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Training College. While the icon probably derives from a variation of the skipping rhyme 'salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard', stories abound as to the identity of the original model: perhaps one Alma Burns, or a Kitty Minogue; possibly daughter of the company manager or of a local milk bar owner.