MELBOURNE+SETTLEMENT

Focus on the early settlement of Melbourne, how it got named, how it was planned, why it was located on the Yarra etc

GROUP ONE WORK

ADD NAME HERE- Mitchell C Katie

Early Settlement and Why

Melbourne started off as an illegal settlement in which sheep herders from Van Diemen’s Land or Tasmania as we know it today. This was frowned upon by the Government in Sydney, but there wasn’t much they could do. Then in 1835 John Batman explores Port Phillip bay looking for suitable sites for settlement, Batman then illicitly claims that he signs a treaty with the Aboriginals thus giving him just over 250,000 hectares of land. Government didn’t think the Aboriginals owned the land in the first place thus making Batman’s claim in their eyes illegal. Three months later another group of farmers lead by John Pasco Fawkner arrived and entered the Yarra River aboard the Enterprise. Thus, establishing a permanent settlement. The Government, finding Batman’s treaty illegal labelled the settlers trespassers but over two years had passed and more than 550 people had landed and 55000 sheep, Government were then forced to accept the rapid growth in township.

How it got named

Melbourne was officially "Melbourne" in the year 1837. Melbourne was firstly called Bearbrass, Dutigalla, Bareberp(Woiwurrung language), Narm(Boonwurrung language) and Glenelg until 1837. Governor Bourke named it after the British Prime Minister at the time, Lord Melbourne. Lord Melbourne was British Prime Minister William Lamb the 2nd Viscount of Melbourne who lived in the village named Melbourne in Derbyshire. He was also the Prime Minister of England at the time of Queen Victoria’s coronation. How it was planned

On 4 March 1837, Governor Bourke arrived and instructed the Assistant Surveyor-General Robert Hoddle to lay out the town. The first name suggested by the Colonial Secretary was Glenelg. However, Governor Bourke overruled this and named the settlement Melbourne as a consideration to the British Prime Minister, William Lamb. Robert Hoddle’s plan for Melbourne was approved by Governor Bourke but the plan was largely based on the work of Robert Russell. The grid Hoddle designed was inappropriate - it was much larger than the population of 4000 people needed, and the roads were weirdly too wide. Governor Bourke disapproved of the plan but Hoddle convinced him that wide streets were advantageous to the health and convenience, and this will be the new beginning of a great city.