Melbourne’s Water Supply

The selection of Melbourne as the site for a village was largely due to it having a source of fresh water. A natural dam of rocks, known as ‘the falls’ crossed the Yarra River near to where Queen Street is today. Below this was a widening of the river that...

A Marriage in the Port Phillip District

I was interested to read the article regarding the Rev. James Forbes in the last newsletter, for it jogged my memory that he had officiated at the marriage of my great aunt, Catherine Kelly. Catherine, and my great-grandfather John Kelly, were two of the five children...

The Sacking of Judge Wills

Janine Rizzetti grew up in Heidelberg where a neighbour recounted stories about ‘mad’ Judge Willis who originally lived on her property. Later, after learning that Judge John Walpole Willis was sacked from his position in the Port Phillip District, Janine...

James Forbes

At the entrance to Scots Church, on the corner of Russell Street and Collins Street, Melbourne, a plaque displays the following message: James Forbes was the son of Peter Forbes, farmer, and his wife Margaret, nee Clark. He was born in 1813 at New Braes farm, in the...

The Kerrs – Scottish Immigrants

My sister and I did not have the interest of knowing grandparents, and even uncles, aunts and cousins were thin on the ground. Perhaps this stimulated us to find out something about our forebears, all of whom were Scottish. First we decided to write to as many of the...