History of Melbourne

Melbourne (Founded in 1835)
Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria, is located on Australia's southern coast, where it is the nation's largest general cargo port. In Australia, Melbourne is second in area only to its rival, Sydney, the capital of New South Wales. Melbourne is the only one of Australia's six capitals to have been established unofficially by enterprise. A fairly young city, Melbourne was founded by pioneer settler John Batman in 1835, soon after he signed a treaty with the aboriginal natives. Another pioneer, John Fawkner, settled on the Yarra Rivers' banks. There he acquired a large amount of land and established a book-selling business, hotels and a newspaper. Batman died early, ending an active debate over who was the legitimate founder.



Melbourne saw its first immigration wave after gold was discovered nearby in the 1850s. The second wave was stimulated by government programs that supported European immigrants in their attempts to find jobs and learn English. Acting as a haven for people fleeing World War II, the city limits strained eastward. Surrounding Melbourne's service-oriented core, a ring of outers suburbs developed. By the end of World War II, the population had reached 100000. Metal processing, transportation equipment and computer manufacturing greatly boosted the importance of Melbourne's industries, and by 1990, the metropolitan population had grown to 3.1 million.



The city was laid out in a rectangular pattern. Nineteenth century architecture is still evident in the core city, where the Houses of Parliament share space with Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals. Some of the best ornate ironwork has been preserved.



Melbourne's population includes a healthy ethnic mix of culturally conscious, politically active intellectuals. With its National Gallery of Victoria, its Victorian Arts Center and the Melbourne Concert Hall, the city is a great supporter of traditional arts. Its extensive parks and grand balconies have preserved an impression of gentility, despite the experimental theater of the 1970s and the proliferation of discos, rock music clubs and a great many pubs.