Melbourne
- population 3.5 million.
Motto - we gather strength as we grow.
Melbourne was briefly named Batmania after its
founder. Other proposed names included Bearbrass, Bareport, Bareheep,
Barehurp and Bareburp.
In 1837, the town was officially granted a seal of approval and in 1851,
the Colony of Victoria was formed. The Colony was named Victoria after
reigning English Monarch, Queen Victoria and the main town Melbourne in
honour of Lord Melbourne, the Queen's most dedicated Prime Minister.
Melbourne's first census in 1836, showed a population of just 145 men,
35 women. With a grid CBD plan, Melbourne was one of Australia's first
planned cities laid out by colonial surveyor Robert Hoddle in the 1830s.
Melbourne architects have embraced the wide streets, grand gardens and
prominent street corners. Melbourne is the youngest of all the world
cities. It grew from a tiny, speculative, pastoral outpost in the 1850s,
into a world class city within a mere thirty years, reaching around a
million people by the turn of the century. Much of the phenomonal growth
was due to the Gold Rush, one of the biggest in world history, which
brought an influx of migrants, bringing instant wealth and prosperity to
the city.
"Marvellous Melbourne" boasted a city to rival those of Europe and North
America.The city hosted the 1880 World Fair in the Royal Exhibition
Building which hosted the first Parliament and still stands in
magnificent Carlton Gardens.
The city was, until Canberra was built in the late 1920s, from 1901, the
Federal Capital of Australia. Although Sydney grew larger, Melbourne
remains the financial, sporting and cultural capital of the nation.
Melbourne was founded on the mouth of the Yarra River in 1835, after an
abortive bid in 1803 to establish settlement inside Port Phillip heads.
The Port Phillip district gained independence from New South Wales in
1850. Melbourne is the 'other great city of Australia': it is Boston to
Sydney's New York. It lacks the pace of Sydney but makes up for this in
spaciousness and a peaceful opulence that offers a comfortable way of
life.
The site of Melbourne was 'purchased' from local aborigines for
blankets, flour and other items by an oppurtunist who famously declared
"This will be the place for a village" The Ballarat and Bendigo gold
strikes of 1851 turned the village into a city, quadrupling its
population in less than a year. The gold paid for churches, noble
institutions and fine buildings which were admired by many early
visitors, including novelist Anthony Trollope and Mark Twain. Melbourne
has long vied with Sydney for the right to be called Australia's
premiere city. Sydney may be older but Melbourne can justly claim to be
Australia's intellectual capital : its schools and universities the most
exclusive : its politicians and trade union leaders the most powerful.
Most Australian Prime Ministers were based here.
Laid out on flat ground by a military man, Melbourne is a parade ground
of immaculate parks and broad avenues commanded by imperious Victorian
buildings. It is Australia's most British city, helped by an
unpredictable climate, though there is nothing British about the dreaded
'northerly' a scorching wind that rushes down from the interior.
Learn much more about Melbourne on
WalkingMelbourne.com Forum
You will be
introduced to Melbourne, recently voted 'the worlds most liveable
city'
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