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
Understanding the Bunurong Wurundjeri boundary decision
Members of East Melbourne Historical Society may be interested in knowing a little more about this recent Indigenous peak body Determination on boundaries between the Wurundjeri and the Bunurong.
Our City of Melbourne has a Draft Reconciliation Plan, 2020-2023 which will require changes as a result of the Indigenous Determination, and on which we will be invited to comment: it is as well to be as informed as possible.
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- 686 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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- 1251 reads
Streets of fear in city's wealthy enclave
Article in the Australian 24 August 202 midst covid-19
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- 1438 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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- 2198 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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Forthcoming activities
Painting the town: Robert Russell - artist of early Melbourne
Following our AGM at 7.30 Fay Woodhouse, professional historian and editor of the book, Robert Russell: Artist of Early Melbourne will take us through the life and work of the man who laid the foundations of our city but about whom relatively little is known.
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- 227 reads
Recent acquisitions
Victorian Historical Journal June 2021
Articles on aspects of Victoria's history:
- 30 reads
Victorian Historical Journal December 2020
Articles on aspects of Victoria's history
- 16 reads
East Melbourne, Albert Street 364-370
Newspaper clipping about a new development that will take place at 364-370 Albert Street, East Melbourne. The plans were modified from the original application and approved after a VCAT hearing. The article also mentions other major developments in the area, many of which were objectors at the hearing.
- 108 reads
East Melbourne, Lansdowne Street 019 - Fire
Newspaper clipping about a suspicious fire at the office of solicitor, Stephen Andrianakis, 19 Lansdowne Street, East Melbourne.
- 72 reads
East Melbourne, George Street 063
Newspaper clipping advertising sale of 63 George Street, East Melbourne
- 85 reads