Welcome
Welcome to the East Melbourne Historical Society.
East Melbourne is a tiny suburb adjoining the city of Melbourne bounded by Treasury and Fitzroy Gardens to the west, Victoria Parade to the north, Hoddle Street to the east and Yarra Park to the south, home of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. East Melbourne was included in Robert Hoddle's original 1837 plan for the city but the first private house was not built until 1853.
The suburb today reflects a history of Victoria with its beautiful gardens, grand houses of the gold rush era and workmen's cottages. Cast iron lacework adorns the houses, bluestone cobbled lanes lead to old coach houses and brick dunnies. Artists, scientists, politicians, judges, educators, priests, explorers, entrepreneurs, courtesans, philanthropists and social activists lived here and many a tale is told of characters wild and exotic.
- Read more
- 16858 reads
Site statistics
Recent news
Phil Ruthven Slides Available
There was an excellent attendance at our event last Wednesday 21 June 2017 when Phil Ruthven took us on a trip down Memory Lane looking back to Australia, Melbourne and East Melbourne in 1853
- Read more
- 169 reads
Richard Wynne, planning minister, states East Melbourne 'spectacular'
On Monday, March 9 2015 The Age ran an article by Clay Lucas under the headline 'Towers make city hostile. says minister'.
BUNJILAKA ABORIGINAL CULTURE CENTRE
Bunjilaka Aboriginal Culture Centre contains a permanent exhibition, created by a shared enterprise between Museum Victoria and the Victorian Aboriginal Community.
DOCKLANDS LIBRARY
If you're looking for somewhere new to visit, why not head down to see the new Docklands Library at 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade?
Help needed for Boer War research
Rob Droogleever has written to us seeking help with research for his new book which is a regimental history of the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles Contingent in the Boer War.
News from the State Library of Victoria
Meet the curators behind our exhibitions
Memorial collection honours victims of Bourke Street tragedy
State Library Victoria and Redbubble #createarthistory together
Vale Agnes Nieuwenhuizen
Forthcoming activities
Home and Heritage: East Melbourne 1850s to 1930s
A display of photographs at the East Melbourne Library East Melbourne coinciding with Heritage Week.
- Read more
- 8 reads
The Midwife, the Bishop and an Assassin; three degrees of separation in nineteenth century East Melbourne
Peter Andrew Charles O’Farrell is but a dot in the history annals of East Melbourne. At some point in the mid-nineteenth century, he owned two plots of land on Powlett Street.
- Read more
- 3 reads
Recent acquisitions
New Boundary Hotel Newsletter
In 1991 chef Lino d'Angelo leased the dining room of the New Boundary Hotel to run his Restaurant Menage.
- 115 reads
New Boundary Hotel Newsletter
In 1991 chef Lino d'Angelo leased the dining room of the New Boundary Hotel to run his Restaurant Menage.
- 76 reads
Harold Freedman: the big picture
A book on the work of Harold Freedman, artist best known for his painted and mosaic murals.
- 123 reads
The Two Wings of Bishopscourt: the reasons for their contrasting styles and the origin of their designs
Article about the two very different wings of the Bishopscourt building.
- 113 reads
Victorian Historical Journal June 2017
Essays on various aspects of Victoria's history. In this issue eight articles are linked under the heading 'Judging for the People: Honouring 175 years of the Supreme Court of Victoria'.
- 124 reads
