Queenscliff’s first pier, then known as the Fishermen’s Pier, was completed in 1857. It was not until some thirty years later that the second Steamer Pier was constructed adjacent to the former and periodically extended from the mid to late 1880s to cope with the demand in pleasure bay steamer services. The last of these extensions was to provide a dog-leg construction and the extant shelter shed. 1960 witnessed the demolition of the original Fishermen’s Pier - by this time having been extended in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to the equivalent length of the Steamer Pier - and saw the relocation of its 1926-29 lifeboat house to the Steamer Pier, now Queenscliff Pier. The mid to late 2000s saw Queenscliff Harbour undergo large-scale redevelopment in order to deepen its waters for pleasure craft and increase its berths to over 300. This was met with strong community opposition, largely with concerns for neighbourhood character and perceived cause for gentrification its stakeholders would impart. With early construction estimates of $20 million dollars, this figure had almost doubled upon realisation. (Lovell Chen Architects. ‘Individual Property Citation’, Queenscliffe Heritage Study, 2009.) (Freya Mitchell, ‘Queenscliff residents fight a tide of development sweeping the historic town’ ABC radio, 15 April 2005).Fishermen's Pier Watercolour painting of Fishermen's Pier in Queenscliffwatercolour, fishermen's pier, queenscliff

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and miners. A diggings, then, was not a permanent settlement, though the sites of some of the greatest diggings did become, through the later development of gold mining, the sites of important Victorian towns. Markings: 33 994:LIF I. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (now Melbourne Water) was established in 1891. From that time, as part of their work laying water and sewerage connections, they created detailed plans of houses and other buildings in the Melbourne metropolitan area. In 1956 it acquired powers to construct and maintain highways and bridges, protect and improve the foreshores and create and maintain parks within the metropolitan region. This Interim development order comprises part of the municipalities of Brighton, Moorabbin and Sandringham and was made on 20 October 1959.brighton, moorabbin, sandringham, melbourne and metropolitan board of works, map, town planning, cartographic material, interim development order, bayside

Yields information about Ballarat and its locations or environs late 1938.Pages 21,22,29 and 30 of the Centenary issue of the Ballarat Courier, 8/3/1938. Page 21 "When the World was Wide", photos, Ballaarat City Council of Centenary of settlement in the Ballarat district, year, and Sturt St. from Bridge St., possibly original photo of time. Ads. - Marks & Phillips, - Tailors and C.J.Coles. Page 22 - Towns that have a history - Learmonth, Clunes, Creswick and Buninyong. Photos - Learmonth, Clunes and Forestry school Creswick. Ads - State Savings Bank of Vic, Swanston Used Cars. Page 29 - Ballarat's historic Sports Grounds - origin and development, Eastern Oval incident, listing of nuggets found and quartz specimens. Ads for Prestige stockings, T&G Mutual Life and Fosters Lager. Photo of mine at No. 6 shaft on Band of Hope and Albion Consolidated. Page 30 - articles - Ballarat's sporting origins and swamp to reservoir (water supply). Photos of First England Cricket team to visit Ballarat and aqueduct at Kirks storage basin. Ads for Craig Bros, Pratts cash stores, Haymes paints and Ballarat Block Arcade - shops. Record reviewed and images of some of the pages added 10-9-2013trams, tramways, ballarat centenary celebrations, centenary, sports ground, water supply

Yields information and demonstrates Ballarat's development from a Melbourne newspaper viewpoint in 1953 and what it's view on the city was.Centre page of Melbourne Sun, pp15-18, 15/4/1953, photos of Sturt St. from Town Hall, looking east, Town Hall, Arch of Victory, Alfred Hall, Eureka Stockade and Begonias. Record updated and image added 21/9/2013.trams, tramways, ballarat, street views, alfred hall, eureka

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). Development in the 20th century has irreparably altered that part of Kew represented in this plan. In the block bounded by Cotham Road, Charles Street, Wellington Street and Gellibrand; just one house standing in 1903 remains. This block included two of the most historic houses in Kew: ‘Ordsall’ (later ‘Southesk’) and ‘Madford’ (previously ‘Elm Lodge’). Ordsall was the home of the second chairman of Kew, John Halfey. It contained some of the most significant interior murals in Kew, created for Halfey by artists working for Cullen & Co. It was demolished in 1960 to make way for the Kew Civic Centre. Elm Lodge had been built for William Siddeley in ca. 1864. Arthur Septimus King purchased it in 1874. The lower paddocks of Madford were sold in 1905 by his wife to the Borough of Kew and, after landscaping by George and Thomas Pockett, opened as the Alexandra Gardens in 1908. Elm Lodge/Madford was in 1922 to become St. Anthony’s Home for Little Children before its subsequent demolition in the 1980s.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, maps - borough of kew, mmbw 1576, cartography

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). Surveyed by the Board of Works in 1903 and published in 1904, Plan No.1590 shows development north of Cotham Road. While this plan includes built structures in Mary Street, Cotham Road, High Street, Park Hill Road, Kent Street, Ridgeway Avenue, and Ermington Lane (now Ermington Place), only part of this section was notated and coloured in this contractor’s copy. Numerous houses, large and small are named on the plan: ‘Cholula’, ‘Belper’, ‘The Uplands’, ‘Spring Grove’ facing Cotham Road; ‘Marion’ facing Kent Street; and ‘Kia Ora’ facing Ridgeway Avenue.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, mmbw 1590, survey plans - borough of kew, cartography

xii, 308 p., [25] leaves of plates (24 folded) : ill., maps (some col.), ports., plans ; 34 cm. CONTENTS Part 1 Surveys and studies Part II Communications Part III The execution of improvement schemes - a programme of urgent works Part IV Zoning Part V Public Recreation Part VI Public Utilities Part VII Housing and Land Subdivision Part VIII Civic Art and Amenities Part IX Miscellaneous Part X Legislation Part XI Conclusionnon-fictionThe 1929 report of the Metropolitan Town Planning Commission covering Melbourne and its suburbs. Includes photographs and 15 folding maps (some in rear pocket) This was a planning scheme to prevent 'misuse' of land and protect property values. It highlighted traffic congestion, the distribution of recreational open space and haphazard intermingling of land uses. The plan identified a number of problems, such as the congestion at St Kilda Junction, that were not addressed until decades later. The plan also recognised the value of Melbourne's waterways as an open space network.city planning -- victoria. -- maps, city planning -- victoria -- melbourne, city planning -- victoria, civic improvement -- victoria -- melbourne, melbourne -- (vic.), cartography

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). Plan No. 1572 represents the built environment bordered by Barkers Road, Wrixon Street, Edgevale Road and Fitzwilliam Street. Other streets identified on the plan include Stansell Street. Plan 1572 shows that by 1903-05, there was only patchy development in this area of Kew, mainly on Edgevale Road and Fitzwilliam Street. Only two named houses are identified: the quaintly named ‘Tweed Cottage’, and ‘Mendip’. The earliest reference to Treed Cottage in Australian newspapers is to the death of Walter Thompson, aged 74 who was a resident there in 1885. His youngest daughter was to die there in 1908. Mendip to the north of Tweed Cottage was owned by Henry Thompson; he was to die in 1901; his wife in 1932. At this period of time, Malin Street and Clivedon Court did not extend to Barkers Road.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, mmbw 1572, cartography

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was established by an act of the Victorian Parliament in 1890 to prepare for and to implement a sewerage and water reticulation system across what was then inner Melbourne, its surrounding and middle distance suburbs, including Kew. The MMBW was disbanded in 1991.The map collection of the Kew Historical Society has at its core the historic maps assembled and originally stored in the City Engineer's Department of the City of Kew. These include maps in a number of scales. The vast majority of maps were produced by the MMBW in the first two decades of the twentieth century, and are solid working maps, backed by linen for durability. These maps are historically significant to Kew, the City of Boroondara and to the history of the development of state utilities in Victoria. A number of the Kew maps have additional details added by former municipal officers, including the levels reached by various floods. As these were working documents, information was added to them long after the period of their initial production and distribution.Early map of the Town of Kew, created after 1910, at a scale 440 ft to 1 inch. The 'assembled' map by the City of Kew Engineer's Department includes scaled down copies of The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works maps, Nos. 39, 40, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, and 117. The map covers the entirety of the Town of Kew, bordered on its north and west by the River Yarra, by Burke Road in the East and Barkers Road in the south. The map shows the extent of urban development by that time, prominent institutions and the outlines of built structures in the municipality. TOWN OF KEW / SCALE 400 FEET TO 1 INCHmelbourne & metropolitan board of works, mmbw maps, mmbw plans, town of kew, cartography

Considered to be of historical and social significance. Provides information on the development of the current Town Hall Auditorium and the Glen Eira Gallery.1 x Maroon coloured booklet with gold lettering on cover published by the City of Caulfield. Inside are 14 paper pages with colour concept drawings of the proposed Caulfield Arts Complex, Concept Plans and printed text. Dated May 1987 in the opening page with an Introduction by the Mayor of Caulfield, Cr Jack Campbell.

The map titled: “Distribution and use of Existing property map No. 6” (Metropolitan Town Planning Commission Melbourne and Suburbs) is of historical significance. It is listed on page 168 of Chapter 4 the Zoning section of the "Plan of General Development Melbourne Report of the Metropolitan Town Planning Commission 1929" - Melbourne's first strategic plan. Map No. 6 is mentioned throughout Chapter 4 of the 1929 Report. It states on page 156 that this Map was created to graphically illustrate the data collected by the Planning Commission. The Map illustrates the general distribution of uses of existing property throughout the metropolitan area. The coloured sections show the areas which were developed or were in the process of development in 1929. The colours indicate the distribution of uses in the developed areas. The pink coloured areas, which include Caulfield, were almost completely residential.1929, metropolitan town planning commission, melbourne, suburbs

The post card is one of a set of commercial cards produced for Sunbury. Each card featured particular buildings or places of interest in the town. This card included Ben Eadie winery, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, the former old mill by Jacksons Creek and the railway viaduct and bridge at Rupertswood. All the buildings featured on the card are of historical significance to Sunbury's early development.A post card featuring a collage four sepia views of Sunbury. The following greeting is written on the card: In and around Sunbury with Greeting. ben eadie winery, our lady of mount carmel catholic church, railway viaduct, the old mill

The building in the photograph is the Sunbury Railway Station in Brook Street and before it underwent renovations and externaL changes.The establishment of the railway in Sunbury in 1859 was an important development in the town's history and fore the Bendigo regional rail network.A black and white photograph of a weatherboard building behind a post and rail fence with a tall power pole in front of the building. A roadway is in front of the building.sunbury railway station

Includes: viewing penguins in the 1920's; Summerland - AKT Sambell, 1944 Town Planning Act, the Summerland Comunity, and Summerland today. The author is a local resident and foundation member of the Surrey Hills Progress Association. Content is centred on the Phillip Island penguin parade and charts a conservation and development struggle that endured for almost 80 yearsContent is centered on the Phillip Island penguin parade and charts a conservation and development struggle that endured for almost 80 yearsSigned on inside cover page by author: Gregor Buchanan / 18/8/15penguins - phillip island, birds - victoria, wildlife conservation - victoria, phillip island penguin reserve - victoria, summerland estate

Biographical details: Born 1888, Nagambie; married Jessie Winifred Temby in 1910; died 27 Feb 1969 in Mont Albert. Mr Joseph Sutton Crow lived at ‘Strathmore’, 75 Victoria Crescent, Mont Albert from 1924-1952. In 1907 Sutton gained a Diploma of Music at the Marshall Hall Conservatorium (later the Melbourne University Conservatorium). He taught piano and organ and was organist and choir-master in several churches. From 1912-1948 he served in that capacity at the Auburn Methodist Church. In 1910 Sutton Crow was appointed Assistant Secretary at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. In 1939 he became Assistant Director and Librarian and from 1941-1945 was its Acting Director. He retired in 1945. Administrator under Sir Bernard Heinze he devoted much time to the development of the ‘Music in the Schools” programme. This led to tours of country centres taking leading musicians to give concerts in schools and for the public, introduced by a talk on musical appreciation. After retirement he organized concerts for the Council of Adult Education and in 1950, when he concluded his professional work, he was giving concerts twice annually in 144 country towns. From 1926-1939 Sutton was Manager of the Melbourne University Symphony Orchestra (which later became the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra). During some years he had been Concert Manager for local and visiting musicians such as Edward Goll, a Bohemian pianist who lived locally, John Amadio, a flautist and Sutton’s wife Jessie Temby, a soprano who sang professionally until she gave this up for family life. Donor was his daughter.A black and white portrait of a man wearing round tortoise-shell glasses.(mr) sutton crow, victoria crescent, surrey hills, melbourne university symphony orchestra, melbourne symphony orchestra, house names, (ms) jessie temby, 'strathmore'

In 1964 Camberwell City Council commissioned Professor Geoffrey Blainey to first write this history. Since that time, many changes have taken place and therefore the Council asked Professor Blainey to bring the book up to date. Bibliography, includes index. The author presents a century of pioneering development and endeavours. He has traced the coming of the wood-cutters and the farmers, the transition from rectangular paddocks to a grid of roads and streets, the growth from shire to borough, town and city, the filling up of thirteen squares miles into residential suburbia - in successive waves of invasion, along new transport routes - including the Outer Circle Railway. Substantial chapters cover the War Years and the progress of Camberwell since the 1960s have also been included in this edition. 134p; ill;camberwell, victoria, market gardens, tolls, railways, mayors, boroondara road board, borondara shire, councillors, (mr) (prof) geoffrey blainey

Annual reports produced by the SIBI, informing their subscribers and the general public of the good work undertaken by the Institute and the ongoing need for funding. Information provided included income, expenditure, fund raising, staff, services, etc. Below is a summary of other information contained in the reports. 1902 - Trades at which the blind are employed, extracts from visitors books, balance sheets, supplementary catalogue of books in library, subscription and donation lists by town, constitution of the institution and rules, sick fund rules and balance sheet. Also noted were the impending installment of a printing press for books, the development of blind distributors of tea beverages and that instead of a blind boys home, boys would instead be sent to board with suitable families. 1933 - A list of braille transcribers and the amount of braille produced, a brief report on the Floral Festival organised by the Women's Auxiliary Committee and the donation of a shop in George Street for 12 months for the selling of articles made by the Blind was provided by a SIBI committee member. 1934 - A brief report on the hostels at William Street and Woollahra, a detailed listing of all functions which raised money through the auspics of the auxiliaries, and a visit by Superintendent Hedge and Librarian Mr Thompson to the Croydon Ladies Social Club. 1938 - A radio show called the 'Glow Worm Session' on 2GB with home teacher Roy Kippax, the 150th anniversary of Sydney celebration and a 16 millimetre film that was made to publicise the Institute's work. 1939 - A record amount raised through the sale of goods made by Blind Workers, the refurbishment of "The Haven' at Woollahra and transfer of residents from William Street, and free admission by the Trocadero and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to swing concerts and 'Broadway Serenade'. 1940 - Incorporation of the Institute's Women's Magazine into Boomerang Magazine, the enlistment of two Board members Cohen and Meeks for active service, and a brief report from each of the branch auxiliaries. 1941 - The difficulty of obtaining stereotype Braille items from London and the passing of the editoress of the Women's Magazine Miss L.E. Hudson who had just completed the final edition. 1942 - Employment of 60 blind men and women in war related industries, the purchase of an air raid shelter and the small size of the report due to the shortage of paper. 1943 - Closure of the Basket department due to government regulations on cane stock, the provision of a lunch hour news service provided by visitors and individual reports from each of the Ladies Auxiliaries. 1944 - Presentation of a revolving chair to Honorary Librarian Mr H.W. Thompson for 35 years of service, the filling in of air raid trenches due to the improvement of the wartime situation and that SIBI had been supplying the Royal Australian Navy with mats, brushware and other products. 1945 - Continued placement of blind workers in outside industries, the compilation of a register of blind citizens and the election of the Hon. Justice Maxwell as President. 1946 - The successful application for Royal assent and the subsequent name change of the insitution, the intervention of Hon. Member C.R. Evatt Minister for Housing regarding the building of a new hostel for blind women and the establishment of an Honour Roll with a description of inductees Mrs K.L. Barry, Mrs J. Ayre, Mrs E. Vance . 1947 - Establishment of an occupational therapy department, the acceptance of Helen Keller to visit the society and the induction of Mrs Rivis Mead to the Honour Roll. 1951 - Passing of Librarian Miss Jean Currie and the use of prisoners to transcribe materials into Braille.Single volumes with various pagings, illustrations

Situated at 47 Lansell Street, Bendigo, the original 1911-12 Charles D'Ebro designed brick Bendigo Municipal Abattoir, comprising twin slaughter and hanging rooms for cattle, sheep and pigs, and two smaller ancillary brick buildings. After the buildings were acquired by the Country Roads Board in 1945, a substantial but sympathetic addition was made to the south-eastern end of the old cattle abattoir. The abattoir is significant for historic, architectural and technical reasons at a state level. as a rare surviving municipal abattoir, and represents the development of hygienic slaughtering through municipal regulations, thus improving standards of public health in Victoria. It is historically significant to the City of Greater Bendigo as a key to the primary production industry that centred on this precinct from the 1860s to the mid 1990s; they are an important surviving component of one of the largest regional livestock markets in Victoria. D'Ebro was critically influential in the development of industrial and in particular meat processing buildings, designing major freezing works and abattoirs throughout Victoria and Australia.(Source, National Trust Database). The Bendigo facility finally closed in 1945, when all slaughtering for local consumption passed to a joint export and local slaughtering facility at the Bendigo Inland Meat Authority. Ink, pen, pencil and watercolour architectural drawing for the proposed brick residence at Bendigo abattoirs. Proposed Brick Residence at Bendigo Abbatoirs (sic) For The Bendigo City Council. / Front Elevation / Easter Elevation / Section A. D. / Ground Plan / Wester Elevation / Section C.D. / Section I. P. ? Existing Building to be / Converted into Laundry ? Scale 1/8" to 1 FT / Geo. Austen Architect / Commonwealth Bank Chambers / Bendigocity of greater bendigo commerce, charles d'ebro

This limited edition board game was produced in conjunction with local businesses and attractions and sponsored by the Bendigo Development Committee. Supported by the five local municipalities (pre amalgamation) and both State and Local governments, the role of the Committee was to promote Bendigo's economic development. Boxed board game. Yellow box lid featuring photographs of popular sights around Bendigo on right side and a family playing the game on the left on lid. Inside box includes game board, playing cards, dice and game rules. 0345a; Fold out game board. Commercially printed with a full colour stylised map of Bendigo and Eaglehawk. 0345b Set of 96 Destination Cards single side printing on coloured card 0345c Set of 32 Surprise Cards 0345d Paper money 0345e Player tokens 0345f Set of dice 0345g Letter to Players re the board game and local businesses on 'Bendigo Premier Town' letterhead. 0345h Three printed pages of discount vouchers for local businesses. 0345i Game Rulescity of bendigo premier town 1982-85, city of bendigo commerce

Poem was penned by W.J Richards, born at Eaglehawk on March 14th, 1877 on the occasion of the centenary of the Eaglehawk Borough Council. Poem appears to be a fundraiser for the Band Building Fund.Poem printed on blue paper in black ink. Eight versus about the building and development of the Borough of Eaglehawk.borough of eaglehawk

A4 size Mayoral report including Councillor and Executive officer information, organisational structure, economic development, planning, family and leisure services. No mention of arts or cultural services. non-fictionFinancial and civic report.mayor morley, mayoress morley, councillor p. r. morley

Both William Weire and Frederick Strange were originally sentenced to be transported to Van Dieman’s Land from England making the painting likely to be a portrait of a convict by a convict. Gaining his ticket of leave for good behaviour in 1841, Strange became recognised for his portraiture and landscapes although he also remains known for his mysterious demeanour. He rarely signed his works which is the case with the portrait of William Weire. Having served his time, William Weire was granted unconditional freedom and successfully worked his way into influential local Launceston business and society circles ahead of leaving for Geelong in 1848 and being made the first Town Clerk for the newly formed Town of Geelong Council in 1850. He oversaw an incredible period of the earliest development of the Town of Geelong including the first migrant arrivals and the dramatic change that came with the discovery of gold in Victoria in the 1850s. The ex-convict turned Town Clerk was to read the formal welcome address to HRH Alfred the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Alexandra on the occasion of Geelong’s first royal visit. The portrait of William Weire was originally gifted to the City of Geelong by the Weire family in 1961.convict, geelong, town clerk, frederick strange, william weire

"The Mechanics’ Institute hall (demolished) and the library played a central role in the story of Melton social life, and in the development of its learning, culture, entertainment, celebration, commemoration and many community groups. The building on the site today - with the Court House the only remaining early community or public building remaining in High Street - is a tribute to the energy and talents of the very small Melton community over many years. Its substantial size, brick materials, and the evident use of an architect in its design, sets it apart from most other simple weatherboard Mechanics’ Institutes that were built in smaller country towns in Victoria. The financing and upkeep of this building, which was community-owned until 1982, and built on land purchased by the community rather than granted by Government, itself contributed to the coming together of the Melton community in decision making and fundraising. Although the original hall is demolished, the 1983 Melton Community Hall adjacent is partly its successor, demolition of the Institute hall having been predicated on its construction. The surviving brick front portion of the Institute was opened by the Hon. J Murray, Premier of Victoria in 1910". Scottish Debutante Ball hosted by Scots Church Melton at the Mechanics Hallchurches

"The Mechanics Institute movement flourished in Victoria from 1839 to 1950. It was based on the development of Mechanics’ Institutes in Scotland and England from the 1820s, which were intended to educate and enlighten the working classes. The term ‘mechanic’ in those days meant an artisan, craftsman or working man, especially those who had moved from rural areas to work in new city factories during the Industrial Revolution. The early Institutes were usually equipped with a reading room, a library and a lecture room. Although enjoying mixed success in Britain, they contributed to the development of public education and library services. The movement was adopted more enthusiastically in the colonies. It began slowly in Victoria but its expansion after the gold rushes population influx was rapid, especially in rural areas. Every suburb and town wanted to have a Mechanics’ Institute. During the 1850s approximately forty Institutes were established, with even greater growth in the period 1860 to 1900. By 1900 there were 400 Institutes in Victoria. The establishment of a Mechanics’ Institute was often a great achievement for a local community, requiring organising committees to raise substantial funds for a building site (where this had not been granted by the Government), and the building. Once built, the committee then had to purchase books, provide a caretaker or librarian, and finance the ongoing use of and improvements to the building. ‘The history of many Institutes is a story of tremendous community effort, and often, financial difficulties’. In addition to being monuments to local enterprise and community life, the Mechanics’ Institutes played a vital role as an intellectual forum, and in contributing to an informed and participatory democracy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They provided journals and other reading matter on local, state, national and international issues, and hosted of lectures and held debates about wider issues such as Federation, colonial nationalism, defence, female suffrage, the price of land and labour. With the development of the school and technical education in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the need for community technical and adult education declined. As a result of the introduction of government library grants in 1867, many Mechanics’ Institutes incorporated a free library in their buildings to finance collection of their books. By 1884-85, there were 257 free libraries in Victoria. However, government support and library grants dropped off in the 1890s depression. Entertainment took on a greater role in the 1890s, with the introduction of moving pictures, billiards rooms, games rooms (chess), concerts and dances. The First World War had a devastating impact on many rural communities, and some Mechanics’ Institutes were no longer viable. On the other hand the early twentieth century was also a time of agricultural development, and many country towns were growing in this period. The 1930s depression further limited growth of many libraries and reduced grants substantially. In response many Mechanics’ Institutes were renamed, for example as memorial halls, in order to retain and attract more patrons (eg at nearby Sunbury). The diminishing role for Mechanics’ Institutes and the preference for larger and better appointed halls (with supper rooms, cloak rooms etc) resulted in demolition of some small Institutes. The advent of cars, radios, and television also provided other opportunities for recreation, learning and entertainment. The greater role of municipalities in providing library services also eroded the need for free libraries. While over 500 Mechanics’ Institutes or halls are extant, very few of these retain their original role as ‘diffusers of useful knowledge’. Most are still available for community purposes, as venues for meetings, socials, civic occasions etc, while others are employed as museums, shops and theatres. Most buildings are on Crown land, and managed by a delegated committee of management, who are responsible for raising revenue to maintain aging buildings. Many of those which were originally established on private land, such as Melton, have since reverted back to the Crown, and municipal Councils. The most common Mechanics Institute building form is the simple weatherboard gable building with iron roofs, notable for their ‘honest simplicity’ rather than as ‘monuments of the ancients’. At the other extreme there are some magnificent two storeyed brick and stucco structures with elaborate ornamentation (as was apparently envisaged by some in Melton in 1905-10)". The future of Melton Mechanic Institute Gazette articlelocal architecture

"The Melton Viaduct, opened in 1886, is of State heritage significance as a very large and visually distinctive wrought iron, lattice girder trestle bridge over the Werribee River (now Melton Reservoir). It comprises 18.3 and 9.1 metre spans, in a generally alternate arrangement, of total length 375 metres, and standing 38 metres over the Werribee River. Wrought iron small section iron was used to build tension trussed trestle legs, which supported four lines of rivetted wrought-iron deck-type double lattice trusses. It has bluestone abutments and pier bases of coursed rock-faced bluestone with drafted margins. The larger half-piers, now usually submerged in the Melton Reservoir have sharp tapered cutwaters and curved coping at the tops. While designed to carry two rail tracks it has only ever been used as a single track line. Despite several alterations to its deck structure, it remains an outstanding example of a lighter structural design employing open metal trestle supports and metal truss girders. The direct Melbourne to Ballarat railway link of which the Melton viaduct was the major engineering work contributed significantly to the history and development of Victoria. This new link reflected Ballarat’s diversifying economy as well as the commercial and political influence of the metropolis. Construction of the bridge, and the associated large workers camp, were extensively photographed, documenting an important episode in local history. The railway enabled the development of new industries in the Melton area, notably the timber industry and a chaff industry of national importance, greatly facilitated the later transition of the Shire from a pastoral to a farming economy, and struck a major blow to Melton township’s era as a wayside town servicing Ballarat road (especially coach) traffic". Melton Railway Bridge being built across the Werribee Rivertransport