Modern day Melbourne: Rowers and the MCG on another beautiful day Source: News Limited
THEY were looking for cheap land to graze their sheep on and founded what would become the world’s most livable city.
It might seem ironic given current property prices, but Launceston had become too expensive, so the graziers climbed aboard the schooner Enterprize and headed across the Bass Strait.
Near where Enterprize Park now stands — on Flinders St between King St and William St — a waterfall prevented them from going any further up the river.
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A replica of the Enterprize boat, docked at Elizabeth St Pier. Source: News Limited
They climbed from the boats and became Melbourne’s first settlers. It was August 30 1835.
Saturday — Melbourne Day — marks Melbourne’s 179th birthday.
The world’s friendliest and most livable city will celebrate with a free concert, tours of the city and of course great food and drink.
Melbourne Day celebrations at Enterprize Park on the banks off the Yarra River. Neville Scantlebury, Gordon Edwards and John Underwood from Heritage Re-Enactment Services Australia. Source: News Limited
Melbourne’s original 12 residents included: master mariner John Lancey; the Enterprize’s captain, Peter Hunter; blacksmith James Gilbert and his pregnant wife Mary; and Mary’s cat, the Melbourne Day website says.
After disembarking the group began to build a shelter and a store and cleared land to grow food.
The world’s most livable city was underway.
William Buckley, who spent 32 years living with Aborigines meets John Batman's party in 1835. Source: News Corp Australia
The two men most closely linked to the settlement of Melbourne, John Pascoe Fawkner and John Batman, arrived in the new city some months later.
An oil painting by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer in 1836 of the man Melbourne is named after, former UK PM William Lamb. Source: National Protrait Gallery Source: Supplied
Melbourne’s original names included Batmania, Barebrass, Bearport, Dutergalla, Bareheep and the very boring, but most popular name “the Settlement”.
In March 1837 it was named Melbourne — after the then British Prime Minister William Lamb, the 2nd Viscount Melbourne, who resided in the village of Melbourne in England.
A year later one of Melbourne’s most famous institutions — the Melbourne Cricket Club was established.
In 1853 the club chose the current site of the Melbourne Cricket Ground as their home.
Football was first played at the ground in 1869 and eight years later Australia took on the Poms in the first ever cricket Test Match.
The first Melbourne Cup was held in 1861 and won by Archer.
There was a railway station at Flinders St from 1854, but it wasn’t until 1909 that the famous front entrance was completed.
The MCG in 1854. Source: News Limited
Illustration of racehorse Archer, winner of first (1861) and second (1862) Melbourne Cup. Source: News Limited
Flinders St station in 1880, featuring the Water Tower Clock. Picture: Australian Railway Historical Society Victorian Division Inc, Archives/PROS Collection. Source: Supplied
The world first saw what a great city Melbourne was in 1880 when it hosted the World’s Fair at the newly built Royal Exhibition Building, in Carlton.
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But it wasn’t until the 1950s that our famous cafe culture first emerged with The Legend and Pellegrinis, both on Bourke St, among the first places to enjoy a coffee in Melbourne.
There’s a lot to celebrate on Saturday.
Nino Pangrazio and Sisto Malaspina at espresso bar and Italian restuarant Pellegrinis. Source: News Corp Australia
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