Pelaco Sign, Neon sign on Richmond Hill, Victoria, Australia.
The Pelaco Sign is a large metal-trough letter sign mounted on a commercial building on Richmond Hill in Melbourne, Victoria, spelling out the brand name against the city skyline. The building below currently houses several media companies, including radio stations and production firms.
Claude Neon made the sign in 1939 to advertise the Pelaco shirt company, which operated from the building it sits on. It was restored in 1997 and is now listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, giving it formal protection.
The sign appears in the 1986 Australian film Dogs in Space, which was set in Richmond and captured the neighborhood as it looked at the time. In the 1970s, a local rockabilly band took the brand name as their own, turning an advertisement into a piece of local music history.
The sign is best seen from the elevated streets around Richmond Hill, where open sky views make it easy to spot without needing to climb. Since it no longer lights up after dark, visiting during the day gives the clearest view.
The sign is visible from several suburbs at once, making it an unplanned landmark that covers far more of the city than most people expect. Standing on one of the surrounding hills and spotting it in the distance gives a sense of just how high above the city it actually sits.
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