Latest articles by Robin Grow
Massacre in Botanic Gardens, January 1924
The Botanic Gardens are treasured by residents of nearby Southbank, but they haven’t always been peaceful. In the previous decade to 1924 the world was in turmoil, suffering the Great War and the Spanish Flu. But chaos was giving way to order.
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The remarkable life of Edward “Weary” Dunlop
Among the many statues in Kings Domain is one dedicated to Sir Edward Dunlop.
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Up and away over Southbank
People who live in Southbank are used to seeing hot air balloons in the early morning, with up to eight at a time. Each balloon holds about four people who start the day at dawn.
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Hot water in Southbank
In the 1920s City Rd in South Melbourne was coming into favour with firms in search of sites for warehouses and industrial enterprises, and it became a major thoroughfare after World War One largely due to its proximity to the city.
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“Hold on while rounding the curve”
The Melbourne cable tramway system was a cable pulled tram public transport system that operated between 1885 and 1940.
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“Rough on Rats” in Southbank
The combination of a river location servicing numerous ships (many from Europe), large warehouses, and heavily used drains meant that the area now known as Southbank was a haven for rats in the 19th century.
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Eleanor Roosevelt comes to Melbourne and Southbank
In 1943, during World War Two, Eleanor Roosevelt (wife of the then US President Franklin D. Roosevelt) undertook a long, dangerous and arduous trip across the South Pacific, heading to Australia.
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Mac.Robertson Girls High School – corner Kings Way and Albert Rd
On the fringe of Southbank stands Mac.Robertson Girls High school, Victoria’s premier girls’ high school.
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Boer War Memorial, St Kilda Rd
When Australia became a nation in 1900 the new country was already embroiled in war. For some time, the southern tip of Africa had been shared between British colonies and independent republics of Dutch–Afrikaner settlers, known as Boers.
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The Tea House, Southbank
Perhaps the largest and tallest building from the 19th century in Southbank is the Robur Tea House in Clarendon Street.
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Kraft cheese and Vegemite!
Few foods have had the impact on the tastes of Australian society as Kraft cheese and Vegemite – and they were both manufactured in what is now Southbank at the Kraft factory in Riverside Drive.
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In the mail!
One of the major changes resulting from new technology in the past decade is the massive reduction of mail by post.
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Garryowen – who compiled the chronicles of early Melbourne
A major contributor to chronicling Melbourne’s 19th century history was Edmund Finn, commonly known as Garryowen.
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Trees of Southbank
One of the joys of living in Southbank is sharing the many trees in the environment – part of the 70,000 trees that make up the urban forest of Melbourne.
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Marble in Melbourne
One of Melbourne’s classic interwar buildings is the Manchester Unity, which still dominates the corner of Collins and Swanston streets. Designed in 1932 for a major commercial organisation, it combines commercial gothic and Art Deco styling.
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The sounds of 180 Bank St
Buildings often show characteristics of change of purpose, architectural style, design and decorative features.
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Pubs of the South – The Maori Chief: a touch of New Zealand
Numerous pubs were constructed in the 19th century in South Melbourne including in the area now known as Southbank.
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Commonwealth celebrations – May 1901
The month of May 1901 was a major point for the new country of Australia with foundation celebrations taking place across the new nation.
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Southbank swamp
Like other parts of inner Melbourne, such as Port Melbourne and West Melbourne, the area that became Southbank was swampland, with low-lying wetlands that were eventually reclaimed for manufacturing businesses, warehouses and wharves.
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The Royal Melbourne Show – it took off in Southbank!
One of Melbourne’s long-standing cultural, agricultural and industry highlights is the Royal Melbourne Show, held each September at the showgrounds in Flemington. The highly successful event reflects the importance of the agricultural sector in Victoria.
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