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Victoria
In 1803, Lt. David Collins attempted, but failed, to found a settlement in Port Phillip Bay,
where Melbourne now lies, and it was to be more than three decades before a further
attempt was made.
In fact, the first permanent settlement in Victoria was not in Port Phillip Bay, but at
Portland in the extreme west of the state. Portland dates from 1834. Port Phillip Bay was
settled in the following year, 1835, by John Batman and John Fawkner, who crossed Bass
Strait from Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in order to found the city which is now
Melbourne. Unlike previous settlers, Batman and Fawkner made an attempt to purchase
the land from the local aborigines. At the time, the government of New South Wales was
trying to discourage settlement in outlying areas, but it was soon forced to recognise the
existence of a community in Port Phillip Bay and to send administrators.
The new settlement strongly resisted the introduction of convicts, although in the end
some convict labour was used in the area. The settlers also requested, from an early stage,
independence from New South Wales, and this was granted in 1851, when the new
colony of Victoria was established.
It was at this point that gold was discovered in Bendigo, Ballarat and several other
locations in Victoria, and the finds included the largest known nuggets in history.
Suddenly Victoria became rich. The population of the state trebled and the new-found
prosperity endured for a period of thirty years, manifesting itself even now in the form of
some magnificent public buildings, both in Melbourne itself and in the gold towns.
When the gold ran out in the 1890s, a period of economic depression followed, but
Victoria was already so well established that Melbourne was chosen in 1901 as the venue
for the temporary capital of the new Commonwealth of Australia.
In the 1950s, Victoria became a great centre for immigration, particularly by those from
Italy and Greece, and Melbourne was hailed as the third largest Greek city in the world.
The city still retains a great cosmopolitan flavour reflected particularly in its cuisine and
in its corner shops.
Victoria is the smallest mainland state, with an area of 227,420 square kilometres. Only
Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory are smaller. In terms of population,
however, it is the second most populous, after New South Wales, with a population of
approximately five million, which is to say that this small state contains a quarter of the
total population of Australia.
Only the Australian Capital Territory is more densely populated. In fact, though, as in
other states, two-thirds of the population lives in the capital city. As soon as one leaves
Melbourne it is difficult to believe that this is Australia’s most densely populated state.
Melbourne itself is an attractive and interesting city and its trams clattering through the
streets give it a sense of individual character greater than that in any of the other capitals.
It also offers a line of pleasant beaches stretching round the bay. Outside the big city, the
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