History of Melbourne
This thriving cosmopolitan city began life a little over 200 years ago as a bayside settlement for sealers and whalers. From these humble beginnings, Melbourne has lived through periods of boom and bust, gold fever, two world wars and a constant influx of immigrants from all over the world. All of these factors have shaped Melbourne into the vibrant cultural melting pot which we know and love today.
Early Neglect
For more than 20 years after the First Fleet arrived in Sydney in 1788, the colonial settlers largely ignored the region around Port Phillip Bay, home of modern Melbourne. The first settlers were whalers and sealers, but when rumours began to spread of the fertile pastureland around Melbourne, colonists began to arrive. Once the Sydney-based government realised they couldn't stop the growing migration, they officially declared Port Phillip open for settlement.
The rise of Melbourne
In 1835, two rival camps set up on either side of the Yarra River, marking the beginning of Melbourne's settlement. In contrast to most other towns in Australia at the time, Melbourne wasn't a penal colony. Freemen, not convicts, were the first settlers. The town experienced rapid growth due to the busy port and the quick influx of capital, establishing itself as a leading commercial centre from the very start. By the 1860s, Melbourne had a similar population to Chicago.
The Gold Rush
When gold was discovered nearby in 1851, the city's population nearly halved as residents flocked to Victoria's gold fields to seek their fortunes. Over the next decade, one third of the world's gold was produced in Victoria. The wealth that this gold boom brought to Melbourne can be seen in a frenzy of building during this period. Many cultural institutions were established as well as museums, professional societies, entertainment clubs and sporting arenas.
Modern Melting Pot
Ever since Melbourne first got started, its population has been a surprisingly peaceful mix of British, Asian and American settlers. When Australia was proclaimed a Commonwealth in 1901, the country began taking a more active role in world affairs. Melbourne struggled through the Great Depression and two world wars, but it managed to come out of it in good shape. A massive influx of migrants from all corners of the globe flooded into Melbourne during the 1950s and 1960s at the behest of the government.
This changed the cultural life of Melbourne forever. People from Italy and Greece arrived in great numbers, followed by refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia 20 years later. Today, Melbourne has the largest Greek community outside of Greece itself. Melbourne has thrived on the various gifts these diverse people have brought along with them, and it's this amazing melting pot that makes Melbourne so special and endearing to the people who live here.
