History
Melbourne Day facts
The founding of Melbourne
Q: When was the Founding of Melbourne and who
was responsible?
Melbourne was founded on 30 August 1835 by the settlers
who sailed from Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) on board
the schooner Enterprize. They landed on the north bank
of the Yarra River, close to where Customs House stands
today and the place now known as Enterprize Park.
Further information
Visit the Royal Historical Society of Victoria website
See the RHSV's virtual exhibition Why Melbourne?
Visit the free exhibition The changing face of Victoria
at the State Library of Victoria
The settlers came from Launceston in search of new land on which to graze their sheep. The Enterprize was owned by John Pascoe Fawkner but the expedition was led by John Lancey. Fawkner was unfortunately forced to remain in Launceston for this first voyage to the Port Phillip District. The site for the settlement was chosen because there was a small waterfall that stopped further progress up the river but also because it separated the tidal movement from fresh water. The waterfall had previously been found and noted by the Colony of New South Wales' surveyor, Charles Grimes, in 1803.
Land for grazing had become very expensive and there had long been stories told by whalers and sealers working in Bass Strait of fertile land to the north. This was the southern part of the Colony of NSW, which the Colonial Government did not want settled at that time but after the Henty Family crossed Bass Strait and settled at Portland in 1834 others quickly picked up the idea.
No. Batman had established a camp at Indented Head on the Bellarine Peninsula in June 1835. Batman did sail in his ship Rebecca into the mouth of the Yarra and set off on foot along the Maribyrnong looking for Aborigines to sign a "sale agreement" to buy land. He returned to the Rebecca to sail back to Indented Head, but the weather was against this. While Batman waited he sent a small boat party upstream on to the bigger river to the east (the Yarra), who, on their return reported the freshwater falls. On their return to Launceston Batman and a colleague, John Wedge, sketched a map of his land purchase showing a reserve for a village on the southern side of the Yarra close to the falls (near the area we know today as South Melbourne). The Enterprize was moored beside the north bank of the Yarra in August 1835 and the settlement of Melbourne commenced on that site.
Yes, and although the government objected, events had been set in train that could not be stopped. Because of the action of those from the Enterprize, the great city of Melbourne was born.
Yes. There was George Evans, a builder; carpenters William Jackson and Robert Hay Marr; blacksmith James Gilbert and his wife Mary; and a ploughman named Wise. Also present to see the first settlers divide the land between them into lots along the river and commence the first building was the commander of the Enterprize, Captain Peter Hunter, two sailors, and Evan Evans, servant to George Evans. Others would follow, like Fawkner, Batman, Gellibrand, Hoddle and Swanston, to help shape the future Melbourne. Those on board Enterprize were our first settlers and through their efforts Melbourne was sited where it stands today.
Each year the Melbourne Day Committee holds events to mark 30 August, the day Melbourne was founded.
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