Today's Yarra River
Melbourne Landing, 1840; watercolour by W. Liardet (1840)
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Although not a critical point, the Yarra River is a critical theme in the history of Melbourne.Quick facts:• In 1835, Tasmanian farmer John Batman was the first white man to lay claim to the river.
• In 1851, gold was discovered on a tributary of the Yarra. Within 10 years, the discovery had pushed the region’s population to more than 500,000. • The Gold Rush saw increased development in Melbourne and “tent cities” of new migrants lined the Yarra during the early years of the gold rush. • In the 1840s a weir was built at Dights Falls to power a flour mill and to give some control over the river downstream from there. •The river was selected as the site for the Royal Botanic Gardens in 1846 and the course of the river was modified slightly for the creation of a feature lake. • The Western Treatment Plant began treating Melbourne’s sewage in 1857, resulting in considerable improvement to the Yarra’s water quality • In 1890, city planners locked up 100,000 hectares of land around the headwaters of the Yarra to protect the source. |
References
“History. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2016, from http://yarrariver.melbourne/history/
History of the Yarra | City River Cruises. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2016, from http://www.cityrivercruises.com.au/history-of-the-yarra/
“History. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2016, from http://yarrariver.melbourne/history/
History of the Yarra | City River Cruises. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2016, from http://www.cityrivercruises.com.au/history-of-the-yarra/