City of Melbourne

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City of Melbourne

 

Melbourne’s beginnings were different from other capital cities in Australia that began under official auspices. Melbourne was formed by settlers coming from Tasmania. It was founded during the reign

of King William IV in 1835 as a barely legal breakaway settlement from New South Wales.

Melbourne officially became a town on August 12, 1842 by Act 6 Victoria No. 7 of the Governor and Legislative Council of New South Wales. The settlement began to grow and the residents needed to have more autonomy over their affairs, and Melbourne’s new status allowed for the much needed independence. Five years later, on June 25, 1847, Melbourne became a city by Letters Patent of

Queen Victoria, which also made Melbourne a cathedral city and constituted its Anglican Diocese.

On October 30, 1905, Melbourne absorbed the Borough of Flemington and Kensington, and the

Town North of Melbourne. Presently, the town halls of both council areas are still being used as

public buildings. The City of Melbourne Act in 1993 specified alterations in the city’s boundaries

which resulted to Melbourne acquiring the Victorian Art Center and Southbank. Melbourne was also

re-subdivided into four: Domain, Hoddle, University and Flagstaff. On July 2, 2007, Melbourne again grew, this time, to nearly double its size, when Docklands was transferred to its jurisdiction from the

State Government’s administration.