Schmap Melbourne Historical Background

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Melbourne - Historical Background
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Melbourne Home
Schmap Melbourne guide and map

Melbourne's story is one of a bayside settlement that grew beside a river to become one of the world's most exciting cosmopolitan cities. From the humble beginnings of a few tents and bark huts, the city has experienced boom and bust periods, gold fever, two world wars and an influx of immigrants. It is today a vibrant cultural melting pot loved dearly by all who live there.

Beginnings

Melbourne today is a major seaport located midway along the state of Victoria's southern coast at the top of Port Phillip Bay, and at the mouth of the Yarra River. Prior to European settlement, the Kooris of south-eastern Australia had lived a semi-nomadic life in the area for at least 40,000 years. The oldest site of continuous occupation yet found in Australia lies in the Melbourne suburb of Keilor.

For more than two decades after the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney in 1788, colonial settlers ignored the region around Port Phillip Bay. Only sealers and whalers worked the coast but rumours of good pastureland eventually caused land seekers from other colonies to try their luck. In the spring of 1835, John Batman and John Pascoe-Fawkner established rival camps on opposite banks of the Yarra River. Other settlers soon followed with sheep and cattle, and the district grew rapidly. The government based in Sydney accepted they could not stop the influx, so in September 1836 officially declared the Port Phillip district open to settlement. Lord Melbourne, Prime Minister of Great Britain at the time, gave his name to the infant city.

By 1837 the distinctive grid pattern of the streets was established with wide roads and grand boulevards leading out of the city. Unusually for the times, land was reserved for the the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Domain, and the Fitzroy, Flagstaff and Treasury Gardens, and today's inhabitants are grateful for such foresight.

In contrast to most other Australian cities, this was no penal colony and free men, not convicts, were the first settlers. The growth from frontier town to colonial metropolis was rapid. Settlers already had businesses or property elsewhere, and many merchants and professional men were able to bring capital for investments, but artisans and labourers also chanced their luck. The busy port became the centre of activities--Melbourne was a commercial city from its inception. Businesses clustered around the wharves where ships brought mail, bank drafts, immigrants and goods. By the 1860s Melbourne's population rivalled that of Chicago.

Market gardens and orchards, fields of wheat and oats, and small dairy farms ringed rural early Melbourne. Areas such as Fitzroy and St Kilda supported grazing, farming and horticulture.

Gold and Prosperity

When gold was discovered nearby in 1851, Melbourne's population halved as people left to seek their fortunes on the Victorian goldfields. The regional towns of Bendigo and Ballarat saw an influx of immigrants from Britain, Europe, China and America. Although some intermarriage with the Chinese occurred, ethnically Australia remained predominantly British. Irish, Scots, Welsh and English all mixed without enmity on the goldfields, in contrast to the political tensions they had left behind. Despite the decline in population, Melbourne remained the major city of the colony and here life was far more open and egalitarian than in class-ridden Britain.

Between 1851 and 1861 one third of the world's gold was produced in the state of Victoria. Such wealth led to the growth of cultural institutions such as Melbourne University (1854), the National Gallery of Victoria (1861), the National Museum of Victoria (1854), the State Library (1864) and many professional societies. The city offered churches, theatres (such as the Princess Theatre built in 1854), clubs and sports--notably horse racing, cricket, and football. The arts flourished. The fledgling government believed in conservation and education and in 1872 the historic Victorian Education Act made schooling compulsory and tuition free.

When a visiting journalist coined the phrase “Marvellous Melbourne” in 1885, it was in recognition of the stature of the city. Here was the centre of Australian colonial administration, manufacturing and commercial activity. People enjoyed the excitement of Melbourne--its busy streets, the rapid development and entertainment. Between 1880 and 1890 Victoria boomed. An increase in immigration led to suburbs spreading east of the city. Soaring land values did not prevent the erection of mansions or the building of lavish theatres.

The thriving wheat, dairy and wool industries helped keep the state afloat when economic depression hit Australia in the 1890s.

The Twentieth Century

The Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed in 1901, and until a decision was made about a capital city for the Federation and a fitting Parliament House erected, parliament met in Melbourne until 1927. The state sent 112,000 people to World War One and Melburnians later struggled through the Great Depression and the Second World War.

The need for a population increase and a labour force saw many British, Yugoslav, Dutch, German, Arab and Maltese migrants arrive after 1945. Seeking a new life after the ravages of the war, such immigrants were encouraged by government incentives to journey to the end of the earth. The cultural life of Melbourne was changed forever. People from Italy and Greece arrived in the 1950s and 1960s. Throughout the world, only Athens and Salonika now have larger Greek populations! Refugees from Cambodia and Vietnam made Melbourne their home in the 1970s and 1980s and were joined by people from India, the Philippines and Malaysia. Our latest wave of immigrants comes from North Africa.

Melbourne thrives on the gifts these people have brought--eating habits, religions, cultures, races and languages. It is this culture of diverse backgrounds that gives 21st century Melbourne its unique and endearing character.

Copyright 1999-2005 Wcities, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact Wcities

Fitzroy

Melbourne
Australia

Even more cosmopolitan is Brunswick Street, one of Melbourne's liveliest and most distinctive streets. Originally a working class neighbourhood, it has emerged as the heartland of bohemian café culture, humming night and day with colourful bars, nightclubs and restaurants of every description, as well as funky and unconventional stores. Running parallel a few blocks down, Smith Street retains a grittier edge, with long-time local residents, refugees and the down and out mixing with the patrons of its cafés and music venues.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Fitzroy Gardens and Captain Cook's Cottage

Possums and History in the Park Wellington Parade
Melbourne, VIC 3002
Australia
Fitzroy Gardens, with their leafy corridors of trees, ferns and flower beds, are one of Melbourne's favourite places. Another attraction is Captain Cook's Cottage (Cook's former home that was transported from Yorkshire, England, and rebuilt here), which displays the history of the famous explorer's life. Children will be delighted by the Fairy Tree, with its cute carvings of fairies and other "wee folk" and the model Tudor village. Evening visitors can even meet the locals—the possumsmdash;who come out to feed at night. The Gardens are free. There's a small charge for Captain's Cook Cottage.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Flagstaff Gardens

A patch of green in the heart of the city Opposite Latrobe Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
Set in the heart of the city, these gardens are a Mecca for lunchtime office workers. The original pines and gums have been replaced with shady oaks and elms, ideal for finding a quiet shady spot to eat a quick sandwich. Being on a hill with one of the best views over Port Phillip Bay, Flagstaff Gardens were named after the flagstaff that used to be raised to announce the arrival of a British ship carrying more new immigrants. The grounds were also an early pioneer burial site, as well as an important Aboriginal meeting place. A walking tour has recently been laid out with markers, giving visitors the opportunity to see the two sides of its history.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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National Gallery of Victoria

National Gallery of Victoria 180 St Kilda Road
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
+61 3 8620 2222
http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/ Located beside the Victorian Arts Centre, the National Gallery of Victoria has been the focus for the local arts community for many years. ts world-renowned collection of European Masters includes Rembrandt, van Dyck, Picasso, Monet and Turner. A fine display of contemporary Aboriginal art sits alongside works by famous Australian artists such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd and Albert Tucker. The redeveloped gallery will include a new water wall, a Federation Hall and the Grimwade Gardens. It will also boast better physical access, teaching facilities and an improved range of eateries.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Princess Theatre

The queen of Melbourne theatres 163 Spring Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
+61 3 9299 9800
http://www.marrinertheatres.co... In use since 1854, major restoration in the late 1980s saw the Princess Theatre reopen in 1989 capable of providing the technology modern shows demand. Its ornate façade is in keeping in with the surrounding area that includes, nearby, the historic Windsor Hotel. The Princess is yet another of the theatres in Melbourne that show her English roots. Used for big production musicals, it holds the record for the longest playing musical in Melbourne. And don't forget it is haunted.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

A not so secret garden Birdwood Avenue
South Yarra
Melbourne, VIC 3141
Australia
+61 3 9252 2300
http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/ Established in 1846, Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens are magnificently landscaped and boast a superb collection of plants from around Australia and the world. Spend a few hours strolling around, observing the beautiful black swans and water birds. Alternatively, join a tour, such as the Aboriginal Heritage Walk or the Night Sky Experience (bookings required). There are special holiday and educational programs for children. Moonlight Cinema takes place nightly during summer. The Plant Craft Cottage sells unique handcrafts and the Observatory Café is great for light refreshments. The more formal Terrace Restaurant is ideal for corporate and private functions. Admission: Free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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St. Kilda

Melbourne
Australia
Further out is St. Kilda, which has transformed from a shabby red-light district to a bayside resort and is now a popular place for backpackers and Melburnians on a sunny weekend. The attraction is not so much the mediocre beach as the lively street life along Acland and Fitzroy Streets. Parts of the area still have a mildly seedy feel--that is definitely part of the attraction--but it also boasts Luna Park, an ornate and historic funfair along the waterfront, a lovely pier, weekend craft market, and the Esplanade and Prince of Wales hotels.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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State Library of Victoria

A Victorian treasure 328 Swanston Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
+61 (0)3 9669 9888 / +61 (0)3 9669 9810
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au Established in 1853, the State Library is currently the largest public research and reference library in Victoria. Although it is not a lending library, books, information, services and reading rooms are available to the general public. The library offers a vast range of collections that include current and historical books, manuscripts, maps and photographs. The library now includes a courtyard area around the central domed building and a multimedia centre. The help desk in the foyer provides information on free guided tours of the history and architecture of the library as well as information on talks, workshops, exhibitions, seminars and other programs offered throughout the year.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Yarra River

The heart of Melbourne Southbank Promenade
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
http://www.yarrariver.info/ Flowing through the heart of Melbourne is the Yarra River. Originally known as Birrarung or the river of mist to the city's Aboriginal inhabitants, the Yarra played a vital role in the development of the city. Today, it is lined with some of Melbourne's most popular attractions. A 10 minute stroll along its banks in the city centre will take you past the World Trade Centre, Exhibition Centre, Crown Casino Complex, the Aquarium, the Southgate Centre, Flinders Street train station, the ornate Princes Bridge and the Domain gardens. To the East of the city centre, the river is lined with grassy green parks with picnic areas and barbecues that are thronged on sunny weekends with locals and visitors.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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