Janet Bolitho – Page 3 – Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

Pickles Street

Places, Port Melbourne HistoryMay 10, 2016

The earliest streets named on the Street Plan of Sandridge 1849 were those clustered around the foundation place of the early settlement - Bay, Dow, Rouse, Stokes, Graham. They were named from Sydney. Garryowen made this unflattering assessment about some of the later names: ‘the nomenclature (street names) was distributed amongst a batch of local mediocrities.' He adds ‘Certainly they have amongst…

Growing up in McCormack St

Places, Port Melbourne HistoryFebruary 26, 2016

In April 2013, John Gilcrist walked the places where he grew up. The walk triggered these memories: John's family came to live in Port Melbourne from Warburton following the devastating Black Friday bushfires of January 1939. His father was a forester, but it was his mother who brought up the three boys - first from a small house on the south eastern corner of Bridge St…

An Extreme Day in Port

Port Melbourne HistoryJanuary 14, 2016

It was a dramatic end to a record breaking hot day when the Spirit of Tasmania broke from its moorings in high winds at around 6pm on Wednesday 13 January. Winds of up to 100 kph accompanied a cool-ish change from the day's top of 41.9 degrees. The Spirit looked in danger of running aground and the beach was evacuated. It took two…

Walking the War in Port

Port Melbourne HistoryOctober 23, 2015

This week, PMHPS received a commendation for its Port Melbourne First World War Centenary Project at the Victorian Community History Awards. This article draws on the resources created by the project. Chance, rather than conscious choice, led to a walk on Port Melbourne and the Great War coinciding with the 21st October – the final day of the departure of the first convoy from all…

Loss of a tree

Port Melbourne HistoryOctober 9, 2015

Tasmanian blue gum on Liardet Street, December 2007 Not a trace remains of the huge Tasmanian bluegum that was such a presence on Liardet Street for many years. Tasmanian bluegums are not indigenous to this area, of course. Perhaps the tree was planted in the eighties when there was renewed interest in Australian trees. Earlier this year, I spoke with the arborist who…

Rootes Update

Planning & PreservationAugust 7, 2015

The PMHPS joined with the National Trust (Victoria) and the Art Deco and Modernism Society to commission a more detailed study of the former Rootes car manufacturer in Salmon St. These three organisations are concerned that there is no heritage protection for any part of the site, not even the administration building. Many features remain intact inside the administration building The detailed study…

The Leading Lights

Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 10, 2015

'I think that there’s a whole lot of symbolism—iconography even—about what a lighthouse means and we use that as a metaphor in all sorts of language: beacon, lighthouse, navigation aid and so forth.' Peter Marquis-Kyle, Heritage Architect The Port Melbourne Leading Lights were built in 1924, and in conjunction guided ships by marking the centre of the Port Melbourne Channel from…

Rootes in Salmon St

Planning & PreservationJuly 3, 2015

On June 26, the Age reported that a development application is under consideration for the former Rootes factory at 11-19 Salmon Street. image David Thompson Rootes was an English car company. It was started by William Rootes from a small cycle shop in Kent. A motor dealership was added. His sons William and Reginald expanded the firm in the 1930s by acquiring several 'marques'…

Planning Update

Planning & PreservationJune 25, 2015

A tale of two buildings The two buildings discussed below had/have no heritage significance but they they have been part of the Port streetscape for many years. They are about to make way for new development. 143 Station Street (through to Princes St) The property was sold by Frank Gordon for $1,140,000 on Saturday 22 September 2012. A planning application to demolish…

Marking World Refugee Day

Port Melbourne HistoryJune 20, 2015

Princes Pier, Port Melbourne was the point of arrival for the first refugees to Victoria after the Second World War Arthur Calwell was Australia's first Minister for Immigration in the Chifley government. He drove the policy and its implementation. The sense of urgency is conveyed in this speech: 'without immigration the future of the Australia we know will be both uneasy and brief. As a…

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians