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Indigenous Australians in Port Phillip
The Yarra River was the Aborigines major food source and meeting place. There would be many clans and tribes each with their own language and culture. Men would go hunting for big game like kangaroos, emus and peacocks. Women and children would gather yam daisies, bush tucker and small animals such as rabbits, possums etc. -
Batman's arrival
John Batman sailed from Launceston with some white servants and 5 Aboriginal men from outside Sydney to gain rental of land. Batman's party would often exchange gifts with the Aboriginal people, present gifts of blankets, handkerchiefs, sugar, apples and received woven baskets and spears in exchange. The Port Phillip Association was formed with an objective to purchase vast amounts of land from the aboriginal people. John Batman took with him the copies of the deeds prepared by Gellibrand. -
Batman's treaty
Batman's treaty was signed by John Batman and the 12 Wurundjeri Aboriginal elders to gain rental of land around Port Phillip. He purchased the 500, 000 acre land for the price of 40 blankets, 30 axes, 100 knives, 50 scissors, 30 mirrors, 200 handkerchiefs, 100 pounds of flour and 6 shirts. New South Wales Governor declared the treaty illegal but the town was still formed. -
Colonial Melbourne
In 19th century Melbourne, there were huts and tents on the bank of the Yarra River. The river was used for bathing and drinking water. The governor announced 12 districts.The colony grew fast, people moved to the country to set up sheep and cattle runs. Half-acre spots were available for low prices and settlers were quick purchase them. -
Gold Rush
The discovery of gold in Bendigo, Ballarat and Beechworth caused an influx of immmigrants from different parts of the world. The gold rush saw the arrival of english, irish and chinese immigrants. The gold rush caused problems as well as progress. The gold mining had many economic benefits for the state but it also put an enormous strain on the environment. Men who were merely servants themselves had become rich overnight. Everyone had an equal chance of finding gold and to make a fortune. -
Land boom
The forty years of boom was known as the era 'Marvellous Melbourne."There was a rapid growth of schools, churches, libraries and art galleries. In just a decade, the population had doubled, rising to half a million. Citizens were proud of their booming city. Although Melbourne was becoming a stylish city, a horrid stench lingered the air because of the pollution and waste. People caught diseases, mainly diphtheria and typhoid from the Yarra River. Crime and gangs of larrikans flourished too. -
Arrival of electricity
Melbourne became a wired city in 1910. Cables and pipes were built underground. The first telephone was introduced in 1879 and was used mainly during business hours. In 1887, Melbourne became the fourth city in the world to have a hydraulic lift installed. Motorised vehicles appeared in the 1900s and were praised for being faster and cleaner than horses. Only the wealthy rode in motorised vehicles. The first cable tram started operating in 1885. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was a time of hardship for many Australians. It all started when the Wall Market crashed in New York. There was simply not enough money going around, therefore no one bought anything. Because no one bought anything businesses didn't earn any money and people lost their jobs. There was a huge rise in unemployment which fell from 10% in 1929 to 33% in mid-1932. This had a huge impact on Australians as many lost their houses and couldn't even afford food. -
Olympic Games
The 1956 Olympic Games changed social, cultural and architectual development in the city. Once underway, the games unfolded smoothly and became known as the 'Friendly Games'. The television was also introduced during that time and the broadcasting of Melbourne Olympics caused quite a flurry of excitement and hype. -
Development of Docklands
Docklands is located on the Victoria Harbour and is a waterfront development. Docklands has had a lot of development since the 1990s with all new shops and cafes. It used to be a dock and then became an abandoned site. Waterfront city is the shopping and entertainment area. It's been developed in stages to create a sustainable, mixed use community where people can work, live, invest and visit. Docklands is ever-changing and still developing to this day.
