History of Melbourne

Before 1835

The first people to live around the area which is now Melbourne were the Aboriginal people. There were five different groups which belonged to the Kulin Nation. They were hunter-gatherers.

1835

John Batman and a group of businessmen bought 243,000 ha of land from the local Aborigines for some trinkets (just like Peter Menhuit bought Manhattan from the Indians).

DID YOU KNOW?
John Batman thought he was buying the land from the Aborigines. The Aborigines thought they were only granting him the right to pass through their land. This purchase was later declared illegal by the government.

1835

About the same time another expedition led by John Pascoe Fawkner made camp on the other side of the river not far from John Batman.

The first building in the new settlement was Fawkner's grog shop. (Near the present day Spencer Street railway station.).

John Fawkner also brought the first settlers in his schooner the Enterprise. (seen in this painting).

1836

In early 2836 news reached the British govoner in Sydney of unauthorised settlements taking place down south ( in the area then refered to as Port Phillip) and of autocracies being committed against the local aboriginies in the region.

Captain William Lonsdale was appointed police magistrate for the new settlement and arrived on the ship H.M.S. Rattlesnake on the 29th Spetember 1836.

First Census: Population of the new settlement 145 men and 35 women.

1837

The new settlement was named Melbourne (after the British Prime Minister at the time: Lord Melbourne).

The rectangular street grids were laid out.

DID YOU KNOW
At various times before then is was also known as Batmania, Bearbrass, Bearport, Bareheap and Bearbury. Some of these names were probably derived from the Aboriginal name for the area which was Berren or Bararing.

1839

The first public building, the customs house, was started. You can see it in the centre of this painting from 1848. (It is still there at the corner of Flinder's Street and Williams Street)

1842

Melbourne was created a town. It had a population of about 10, 000 people.

1847

Melbourne was proclaimed a city.

1850s

Gold was discovered in Ballarat. The whole city emptied as almost one third of its people rushed off to seek their fortune in the gold fields.

1861

Melbourne became the largest city in Australia.

During the gold rush it was the fastest growing city in the British Empire. With the discovery of gold came great wealth . Many fine buildings and houses were built at this time.

By 1881 the boom was over and a devastating depression started. Many businesses closed down.

1901

The opening of the first session of the Commonwealth Parliament was held in the Exhibition Building.

DID YOU KNOW
The Exhibition Building was built in 1879 . The dome was higher than St Paul's Cathedral in London. The first international exhibition was held in 1880.

The population of Melbourne reaches half a million.

1908

Collins Street in 1908.

1901 - 1927

While Canberra was being built Melbourne was the capital of Australia.

The federal parliament met in the Victorian Parliament House. The Victorian Parliament moved to the Exhibition Buildings.

	Copyright © Senani Ponnamperuma, 1996-2010
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