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.
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Recent articles
Valetta - an East Melbourne story
East Melbourne’s first crown land sales were held on 16 June 1852. Prior to this the area had been a popular place for local Aboriginal groups who were attracted to its swamps and lagoons as fishing grounds.
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- 519 reads
President's Christmas Letter & Membership Renewal
Dear Members,
It has been a topsy turvy year for us all but thankfully we seem to be headed in the right direction in managing the spread of the COVID virus.
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- 1873 reads
Streets of fear in city's wealthy enclave
Article in the Australian 24 August 202 midst covid-19
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- 1990 reads
Reopening of St Peter's Plaza Eastern Hill, 10 November 2019
On 10 November, St Peter’s Plaza and the restored ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ were re-opened to the public. Dating from 1924, the cross is a memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War 1, modelled on wayside crosses in France and is the only one of its kind in Australia.
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- 2698 reads
Jolimont Station: submission
The East Melbourne Historical Society has recently nominated Jolimont Station for inclusion on the Heritage Victoria register. The station has been a long overlooked part of our history. It does not appear even on the City of Melbourne's Inventory of Heritage Places.
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- 3001 reads
Forthcoming activities
Recent acquisitions
Abandoned Melbourne
A collection of photographs taken during Melbourne's first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. Gavin John, an established landscape photographer, turned his talents to scenes closer to home. Well-known sites around Melbourne, normally buzzing with people, are shown deserted. The forms and shapes of the city are revealed without the usual distractions.
- 96 reads
East Melbourne & Jolimont Community Magazines 2021
Local magazine published by the East Melbourne Group covering matters of local concern. Community news. Three issues for the year published in May, August and November
- 82 reads
East Melbourne Housing Classifications - review 2000
In 2000 the City of Melbourne initiated a review of property classifications in East Melbourne. The proposal was to remove all the properties from the Heritage Inventory which had a grading of E or F. In the future the Inventory would only include four levels of classification, from A to D.
- 281 reads
Yarra Park School. Plan for installation of heaters, 1938-39
Plan for installation of heaters and sliding doors at Yarra Park State School, Wellington Parade, East Melbourne. Dated 1938-39 and numbered 142.
- 124 reads
A Cook, a book and a new look
Newspaper clipping about the launch of a new book, Blak Cook Book, by Dr Clare Land, Dr Paola Balla and Kate Golding on behalf of the City of Melbourne. The book features a range of stories and artworks which seek to balance the story of Captain Cook's 'discovery' of Australia with an Aboriginal perspective.
- 346 reads