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VICTORIA History
The hunter-gatherer lives of the local Aborigine tribes were interrupted when European explorers began to have their interest in this mysterious continent piqued in the 17th and 18th centuries. There had been several hypotheses regarding the nature of the water systems and landmass that sailors and explorers could see from their vessels. However, nothing could be confirmed until full investigation of the area. Therefore, George Bass was despatched with the mission of travelling along the coast on a whaleboat in order to suss out the coast and what they believed to be a strait more precisely.
Bass was, unfortunately, forced to return before his mission was accomplished due to bad weather and a shortage of supplies. But, in 1798, he returned with Matthew Flinders, proving that the strait (thereafter named the Bass Strait) existed. This strait was fascinating to foreigners and explorers, inspiring them to examine it and navigate its course. In 1803, Acting-Lieutenant Charles Robbins was accompanied by acting Surveyor-General Charles Grimes and gardener James Flemming, as they again explored this area by boat. Upon meeting with the local indigenous tribes, it was decided that they would establish a  Flag of Victoria As convicts continued to stream into Victoria and the rest of Australia, Governor King became concerned that this area would not be able to sustain the growing population. For this reason, he established a secondary settlement at Port Phillip, which provided fantastic fishing opportunities. Lieutenant-Colonel David Collins would command this expedition. He arrived from London with 300 convicts, some free men and their families as well as 50 marines in 1803 but was disappointed with Port Phillip. The wood was not of a high enough standard to build with, the soil was less than satisfactory and there was very little fresh water. As a result, the entire colony was moved to Port Jackson.
The first successful settlement of British immigrants was in Portland in 1834. This community was small, but did very well in cultivating the land and living off its ample produce. The modern-day hub of Melbourne was established in 1835 by the Tasmania-based John Batman.
The 1850’s was an eventful decade for Victoria. Queen Victoria finally approved its independence at this time and gold was discovered in Clunes and Bendigo. The gold rush that followed was one of the world’s most significant and Victoria set many world records for its wealth of this important material. Irish and Chinese immigrants, along with others from around the globe, flocked into Victoria in search of wealth.
In 1901, Victoria was incorporated into the Commonwealth of Australia and Melbourne was made the country’s capital city. The 1990’s were a time of economic struggle for Victoria as various industries crashed. However, after a slow recovery, Victoria is now a popular holiday destination and a state of commercial, social and economic stability.
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