In 1946 Oscar Oeser, like many men who had fought in World War 11, migrated to Australia. His arrival had already been announced in an ‘Age’ article of 24 November 1945.

East Melbourne Historical Society is researching the lives of the names that were on the World War 1 Honour Roll of the old Yarra Park State School that was situated on the corner of Wellington Parade and Punt Road between 1874 and 1987. There are many interesting stories that have come out of this research, and one such story is that of George Page Cooper.

On 17 August 1914 Arthur Mueller ‘Joe’ Pearce enlisted to fight in the Great War.  He was the eighth man from Essendon to sign up and the first VFL footballer to volunteer for the war.  He had played 152 games for the Melbourne Football Club from 1904-1913, and in a game where players had fixed places on the ground, had kicked five goals.  The Argus newspaper nominated him as ‘a

The holiday season is with us, and top level cricket at the MCG makes its seasonal appearance in the East Melbourne area, the high point being the Boxing Day Test, this year being an Ashes series against England. The MCG was of course the place where Test cricket was born in 1877, and was also the venue of the first One Day International in January 1971. 

Hello fellow East Melbourne community members,

I am seeking a community of people in East Melbourne who love art, and chose to collect art objects for their homes. My name is Kayla, and I live locally on Gipps Street. I am studying Art History and Curation at Monash University. Currently I am working on a curatorial project that will attempt to survey the works of art in homes in East Melbourne. By doing this I aim to initiate a community discourse surrounding art collecting, and explore an alternative method of creative placemaking. I am interested in learning anecdotal local histories through a person's art collection. This project aims to identify why and how East Melbourne locals collect art. I’m keen to understand my local community’s interests when it comes to the art they choose for their homes. I hope to connect with local people with a shared passion for art.

Queen Bess Row, 72-76 Hotham Street, is possibly East Melbourne’s most remarked upon building. Its three red-brick, four-storey houses exhibit a rich decorative scheme of gables and arches which single it out among the smaller and more conservative houses around it.

East Melbourne in the past was generally regarded as a purely residential suburb with little commercial or industrial activity except for the large and very visible enterprises of the Bedggood shoe factory in Jolimont and the Victoria Brewery in Victoria Parade.  But there were a number of smaller highly successful businesses, many tucked away down lanes and behind houses.  The firm o

  In mid-May I was crossing the wedge of green space on the north west corner of the intersection of Hoddle Street and Wellington Parade/Bridge Road known as Weedon Reserve. In that small park is a monument to someone who has slipped out of the public memory, but who in his day was a celebrity as a world record-holder in motor cycling events. 

On 15 March this year more than 5,000 people gathered in East Melbourne’s Treasury Gardens, many dressed in black, many carrying banners. They streamed up the steps from Parliament station, alighted from trams which had come from all over the city, and walked with determination from the nearby suburbs.

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.

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.

There was an excellent attendance at our event on 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 and 1953 to the present day. He also had the courage, audacity some might say, to predict what the circumstances might be in 2053.

Directed by F.W. Thring, father of the famous Australian actor Frank Thring.
Includes the Fitzroy Gardens and the Royal Botanical Gardens.

If you're looking for somewhere new to visit, why not head down to see the new Docklands Library at 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade?

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.

A documentary film made in 1910 about the City of Melbourne, then the interim capital cit

Is Yarra Park being managed appropriately in accordance with its registration on the Victorian Heritage Register?

The southern corner of Yarra Park is taking a particular beating from car parking this summer. Our new photo record tells the story.

EMHS members are invited to contribute their thoughts on the Society's involvement in planning and heritage issues. Follow this link to join the forum.

The tree versus the bull barThe EMHS referred its photographic essay on the devastation of Yarra Park to the Premier of Victoria.  Similar letters were also sent to the Lord Mayor and the local State Member of Parliament, Bronwyn Pike. The Premier's office, unlike the local member, at least gave us the courtesy of a reply. Unfortunately the Premier passed the buck to the Minister for Sustainability and Environment who in turn passed it to one of his divisional heads. By this time the buck, which was already on very thin ice, sank without a trace. The reply we received was a triumph of obfuscation and spurious argument.

Melbourne Heritage Action is a new group created to provide a forum of people dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the ongoing use of significant heritage places such as buildings, streetscapes, laneways and interiors in Melbourne.  The group wants to encourage owners, developers, architects, academics and businessmen to explore ideas of adaptive reuse and heritage preservation. Founded under the auspices of the National Trust of Victoria, the group advocates for the protection of significant built heritage from all periods, which is threatened by unsympathetic development, demolition or neglect.  Their focus is primarily the City centre and has arisen over concerns over the recent demolition of Lonsdale House and the threat to the Windsor Hotel.  Anyone wishing to join should go to their website:  http://www.melbourneheritage.org.au

2010 City of Melbourne Growth FrameworkOur President Jill Fenwick reports on recent correspondence and discussions with the State Government and with the City of Melbourne concerning Yarra Park and developments in the sporting precincts and along the railway lines.

The news is not good. (Was there ever a "Good News Week"?) The council denies responsibilty for Yarra Park and the State Government acts as though it is being managed despite the depressing evidence to the contrary. The sporting precinct has become a breeding ground for white elephants. The new City of Melbourne Municipal Strategic Statement is a multiple pregnancy - species unknown.

And the answer was ...

Punt Road. The other photo shows the Franz Joseph Glacier, where some actual movement has been detected by scientists over the past 600 years.

Also of interest to East Enders ...

Yarra Park 1864In culmination of a long campaign by the East Melbourne Group, the Heritage Council of Victoria has added Yarra Park to the Heritage Register. This means that any major developments will require a permit from Heritage Victoria.

Rupert Murdoch's "Melbourne Leader" reacted in form. "Heritage listing puts MCG car park under threat," its headline said. It continued, "The future of game-day carparking at the MCG is under a cloud after Yarra Park was added to the state’s heritage register. East Melbourne residents were last week celebrating after a hard-fought campaign to have the park added to the register."

See the full decision of the Heritage Council and the Leader article in our catalogue item, Yarra Park Heritage Listing 2010.

Thumb print of missing planA significant hole has been plugged in our set of MMBW plans for East Melbourne. The missing plan covers the area bounded by Grey, Hoddle, Hotham and Powlett Streets. It was drawn in 1899 but had managed to escape digitisation until clever detective work by the State Library Maps Collection uncovered its whereabouts and took it into custody. Its particulars have now been digitised by the Imaging department and it is available in our Gallery where you are free to pan and zoom at your pleasure. As you will see, even after such a long period at large the item is in quite remarkable condition although admittedly a little ragged around the edges.

Our website is undergoing a major upgrade. During the next few days a number of changes will be made which will improve the appearance of the site, accessibility of information, functionality, speed and security. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience during this process. If you experience any particular problems please contact us or leave a comment below.