Melbourne circa 1853-1860

We arrived in Melbourne on 17 March, 1853. The women and children were not allowed to land until the next day, as there were riots in the streets between the Orange and the Greens. Father got an empty cottage (4 rooms) in Lonsdale Street a few doors from Elizabeth...

Charles Joseph La Trobe

Superintendent of the Port Phillip District Charles Joseph Latrobe was born on 20th March 1801 in London to Christian Ignatius Latrobe and Hannah Syms. A missionary in the Moravian Church, Christian Latrobe had some influence in the abolition of slavery. Charles...

Pioneer Memorials

BATMAN MEMORIAL After Clare Bayne saw the above memorial to John Batman at the Old Melbourne Cemetery site near the Queen Victoria Market she asked “Are there other memorials around Melbourne to our Port Phillip Pioneers and where are they?” Details of...

Sorrento – the 200th Anniversary

Robert Barnes, Chairman of the Committee for the 200th Anniversary of the Collins Settlement at Sorrento gave an outline of the history of the settlement and events planned for its commemoration from the 4th to 12th October 2003. David Collins has often been...

The Commission of David Collins

On 7 February 1803 Lord Hobart wrote to David Collins to advise him that the King had commissioned him to be Lieutenant-Governor of the new settlement intended to be formed in “Bass’s Streights”. Lord Hobart also included Instructions to guide...

Early Newspapers

There were numerous newspapers published in the Port Phillip District prior to Separation. Here is a listing of some of the more notable of them. MELBOURNE “The Melbourne Advertiser” commenced on 1 January 1838. Regarded as being our first newspaper...