“Fancy a sausage sizzle?” The enticing aroma of barbecued delights often wafts through Dendy Park. This park offers more than just a pleasant green space. It holds a fascinating history linked to Melbourne’s early development.
Dendy Park in East Brighton is named after Henry Dendy. He was a farmer from Surrey, England. In 1840, Dendy acquired a “Special Survey”. This gave him the right to choose land in Port Phillip. The price was a bargain at only £1 per acre for 5,120 acres. That is an area of eight square miles.
Dendy’s Special Survey included the right to bring workers to the colony. For every £20 spent on land, he could ship a worker. Their free passage was paid by the Crown. This equaled a total of 100 workers. So Dendy sold his English holdings. He paid the required £5,120. He arrived in Melbourne in February 1841.
Land prices had changed. Land was now selling for £5 to £40 per acre. Because Henry Dendy had the order from London, he opposed Governor LaTrobe’s attempts to alter the price.
Dendy appointed Jonathan Were as his manager. Were later became a partner. Together, Dendy and Were chose an area five miles south of Melbourne. It was bounded by North Road, East Boundary Road, South Road, and Port Phillip Bay to the west. Were and Dendy pitched their tents in what is now Park Street, Brighton. They sank a well near the corner of St Andrew’s Street and Wells Street.
By 1845, J.B Were and Company had bought almost half of Dendy’s land. Were built himself “Moorabbin House”. It was made from stone quarried from local cliffs. It was still standing in 1924. Legend says Moorabbin is named after the Aboriginal word for “Mother’s Milk.”
The soil around Dendy Park is very fertile. It is well supplied with water. This is especially true in the area called “East Brighton”. It is now known as Bentleigh and East Bentleigh. By 1850, the area had developed. There were many market gardens, dairy farms, fruit gardens, and vineyards. They supplied food for Melbourne’s growing population.
Brighton was proclaimed a Municipality and a Borough on January 18, 1859. This happened by October 1863. The area of East and South Brighton separated from Brighton. It formed the Moorabbin District Roads Board. This included Mordialloc, Cheltenham, Mentone, Sandringham, and Oakleigh. It became the first Local Government Authority. Col. William Mair was elected as the first Chairman.
Moorabbin Shire developed further. It was declared a City in 1934. The City of Moorabbin was the largest Municipality in Melbourne. This was before the Amalgamation of Councils in 1994. Then it was divided. The south went to the City of Kingston. The north went to the City of Glen Eira.
Today, Dendy Park offers more than just historical significance. It is a recreational hub. You can find toilets, a playground, and picnic tables. There are also shaded areas and parking. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy cricket nets, a dog park, fitness equipment, and a tennis court. The athletics track has been used since at least 1969. Brighton Little Athletics was the third Little Athletics Centre founded in Victoria. The venue is managed by Bayside City Council.
So, as you enjoy a barbecue or watch a game, remember the history beneath your feet. Dendy Park is more than just a park. It is a piece of Melbourne’s past.