Around Melbourne
History of the city
The Greater Melbourne area, at the time covered by events on this web-site, was a city of about 1.5 million people.
It now (2013) has a population estimated at 4.25 million.
Before the arrival of European settlers, the area had been occupied for as long as 40,000 years by fewer than 20,000 hunter-gatherers from three indigenous regional tribes: the Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung and Wathaurong.
In late 1835 two small groups of Europeans arrived and settled on land beside the Yarra River which is now part of the Melbourne CBD.
Between 1836 and 1842, Victorian Aboriginal groups were largely dispossessed of territory bigger than England. By January 1844, there were said to be only 675 Aborigines living in squalid camps in Melbourne.
In 1851, it became the capital city of the newly created colony of Victoria.
During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s, Melbourne was transformed into one of the world's largest and wealthiest cities.
It now (2013) has a population estimated at 4.25 million.
Before the arrival of European settlers, the area had been occupied for as long as 40,000 years by fewer than 20,000 hunter-gatherers from three indigenous regional tribes: the Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung and Wathaurong.
In late 1835 two small groups of Europeans arrived and settled on land beside the Yarra River which is now part of the Melbourne CBD.
Between 1836 and 1842, Victorian Aboriginal groups were largely dispossessed of territory bigger than England. By January 1844, there were said to be only 675 Aborigines living in squalid camps in Melbourne.
In 1851, it became the capital city of the newly created colony of Victoria.
During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s, Melbourne was transformed into one of the world's largest and wealthiest cities.
Melbourne Trips
Before more extensive trips were made from September 1948 and January 1949, shorter day trips were undertaken in the Morris 850 around parts of Melbourne and nearby locations during 1948.
Some photos taken at the time with a basic Kodak 127 film camera are shown below.
Some photos taken at the time with a basic Kodak 127 film camera are shown below.
Fun in the Snow
Mount Donna Buang 1948
The photos above were taken in the Winter of 1948 at Mount Donna Buang.
At about 80 kilometres from Melbourne, it’s the closest snowfield to the city.
With a height above sea level of 1250 metres ( 4101 ft) it only provides a snow cover suitable for snowplay and tobogganing.
At other times of the year the area is popular with bushwalkers and cyclists.
At about 80 kilometres from Melbourne, it’s the closest snowfield to the city.
With a height above sea level of 1250 metres ( 4101 ft) it only provides a snow cover suitable for snowplay and tobogganing.
At other times of the year the area is popular with bushwalkers and cyclists.
Rob Roy Hillclimb
Hillclimbing is a branch of motor sport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course.
In Australia the sport dates back to the early 1900s, and was most prevalent at locations near Melbourne, such as Templestowe, Heidelberg and Rob Roy.
Competitions were staged at Rob Roy, about 35 kilometres north-east of Melbourne from 1937.
We attended a meeting in 1949, where a small camera using 127 film was used to capture the snapshots below. The negatives and subsequent contact prints were only 4cm by 6cm, which did not allow for high quality reproduction with the basic camera used.
However, they’re the best we could get at that time.
The small format photos were also used to record other events and locations shown elsewhere on this website, including the trip to the snow at Mount Donna Buang (above).
Photos enlarge when mouse is clicked on them
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In Australia the sport dates back to the early 1900s, and was most prevalent at locations near Melbourne, such as Templestowe, Heidelberg and Rob Roy.
Competitions were staged at Rob Roy, about 35 kilometres north-east of Melbourne from 1937.
We attended a meeting in 1949, where a small camera using 127 film was used to capture the snapshots below. The negatives and subsequent contact prints were only 4cm by 6cm, which did not allow for high quality reproduction with the basic camera used.
However, they’re the best we could get at that time.
The small format photos were also used to record other events and locations shown elsewhere on this website, including the trip to the snow at Mount Donna Buang (above).
Photos enlarge when mouse is clicked on them
#
First Car Races at Fisheman's Bend
The exciting sport of motor racing was introduced in 1949 close to the centre of Melbourne.
The runways of a World War Two airfield at Fisheman’s Bend, Port Melbourne,were utilised for the racing circuits. The various runway layouts for the track provided circuits of between 1.9 miles and 2.1 miles long. The Fisherman’s Bend location hosted car racing until 1957.
In the photo above Keith (left) and Alan Wickenton, with friend Arthur Harrison get a close up view of a Maybach racing car at the very first Fisherman's Bend meeting in 1949.
The runways of a World War Two airfield at Fisheman’s Bend, Port Melbourne,were utilised for the racing circuits. The various runway layouts for the track provided circuits of between 1.9 miles and 2.1 miles long. The Fisherman’s Bend location hosted car racing until 1957.
In the photo above Keith (left) and Alan Wickenton, with friend Arthur Harrison get a close up view of a Maybach racing car at the very first Fisherman's Bend meeting in 1949.
Yan Yean Reservoir
Yan Yean Reservoir is the oldest water supply for the city of Melbourne. It's about 30 km north of the city. A 9.5 metre embankment holds back 30 million cubic metres of water. Work began in 1853 at the height of the Victorian gold rush, and it was completed four years later.
At the time of its completion in 1857 it was the largest artificial reservoir in the world.
At the time of its completion in 1857 it was the largest artificial reservoir in the world.
The Shrine
The Shrine of Remembrance, in Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in the First World War.
It is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war.
One of the largest war memorials in Australia, it is a site of annual observances of ANZAC Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November).
The Shrine is in a Greek classical style, built from granite, quarried at Tynong just north of Melbourne,
The sanctuary contains a marble Stone of Remembrance, upon which is engraved the words "Greater love hath no man".
The Shrine was designed so that the stone aligned with an aperture in the roof allowing a ray of sunlight to fall on the word LOVE at exactly 11 a.m. on 11 November each year to mark the hour and day of the Armistice which ended World War One.
Since the introduction of daylight saving in Victoria, the ray of sunlight is no longer in the right place at 11 a.m.
To correct this , a mirror has been installed to direct sunlight onto the Stone at the appropriate hour. During the rest of the year, a light is used to simulate the effect.
It is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war.
One of the largest war memorials in Australia, it is a site of annual observances of ANZAC Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November).
The Shrine is in a Greek classical style, built from granite, quarried at Tynong just north of Melbourne,
The sanctuary contains a marble Stone of Remembrance, upon which is engraved the words "Greater love hath no man".
The Shrine was designed so that the stone aligned with an aperture in the roof allowing a ray of sunlight to fall on the word LOVE at exactly 11 a.m. on 11 November each year to mark the hour and day of the Armistice which ended World War One.
Since the introduction of daylight saving in Victoria, the ray of sunlight is no longer in the right place at 11 a.m.
To correct this , a mirror has been installed to direct sunlight onto the Stone at the appropriate hour. During the rest of the year, a light is used to simulate the effect.
Maroondah Reservoir
The Maroondah Reservoir is a small concrete gravity dam used to supply water to Melbourne, Victoria.
Like most of Melbourne's water storages, the entire catchment is eucalypt forest completely closed to human activity, as is the reservoir itself.
Preparatory work for the dam was carried out between 1915 and 1919. Construction started in October 1920 and the reservoir was completed in 1927.
Like most of Melbourne's water storages, the entire catchment is eucalypt forest completely closed to human activity, as is the reservoir itself.
Preparatory work for the dam was carried out between 1915 and 1919. Construction started in October 1920 and the reservoir was completed in 1927.
The Eildon Weir.
The Weir impounds the Goulburn River about 107 km (66miles) as the crow flies from Melbourne.
The first dam on the site was built between 1915 and 1929.
It was enlarged in 1935 and the photo below, taken about 1948, shows the overflow of that dam.
The dam’s capacity was enlarged a further 10 times between 1951 and 1955. When full it can hold more than six times as much water as Sydney Harbour.
Now known as Lake Eildon, the reservoir was originally created for irrigating farmland.
It still provides this service, while also delivering water to the Melbourne water supply and producing hydro-electricity.
Lake Eildon is a major tourist attraction when it is full or nearly full. However during prolonged droughts in the mid-2000s the holiday destinations around the lake were unable to attract visitors, causing financial hardship to local residents.
The situation has improved in the past few years, and Lake Eildon was back to 99.4% full in October 2012.
The first dam on the site was built between 1915 and 1929.
It was enlarged in 1935 and the photo below, taken about 1948, shows the overflow of that dam.
The dam’s capacity was enlarged a further 10 times between 1951 and 1955. When full it can hold more than six times as much water as Sydney Harbour.
Now known as Lake Eildon, the reservoir was originally created for irrigating farmland.
It still provides this service, while also delivering water to the Melbourne water supply and producing hydro-electricity.
Lake Eildon is a major tourist attraction when it is full or nearly full. However during prolonged droughts in the mid-2000s the holiday destinations around the lake were unable to attract visitors, causing financial hardship to local residents.
The situation has improved in the past few years, and Lake Eildon was back to 99.4% full in October 2012.
Billycart Races
More than the usual fruit box on ball-bearings wheels, the sophisticated billycarts below raced down Prospect Hill Road in the Melbourne suburb of Canterbury in 1948.