Stretching before us lies South Melbourne. This inner suburb holds stories of transformation. Once known as Emerald Hill, South Melbourne boasts a rich history dating back to the 1840s.
Before European settlement this land was a meeting place for Aboriginal people. The central hill, where the Town Hall stands, was a social and ceremonial hub. Imagine the gatherings that took place here long before the buildings rose.
In the 1850s the Victorian Gold Rush dramatically changed South Melbourne. A tent city called Canvas Town emerged. It housed tens of thousands of fortune seekers from around the world. Canvas Town quickly became a massive slum. Land sales began in 1852 and cottages replaced the tents. Many of these cottages were prefabricated overseas.
South Melbourne gained independence from Melbourne in 1855. It was proclaimed a borough on May 26. The new municipality developed rapidly. By 1872 Emerald Hill was proclaimed a town.
The wealthy favored parts of South Melbourne by the 1870s. St Vincent Gardens became Melbourne’s London style residential square. Most of the area was developed with modest cottages and terraces.
The orphanage relocated in 1878. Then the South Melbourne Town Hall was built on the crest of the hill. Constructed between 1879 and 1880 it showed the city’s booming status. In 1883 Emerald Hill officially became the City of South Melbourne.
The area experienced a decline in the 1950s. But in the 1960s the Housing Commission of Victoria erected high-rise public housing towers. Postwar migrants moved into these towers and modest cottages adding a multicultural flavour to South Melbourne.
Like other inner suburbs South Melbourne underwent gentrification in the 1980s. Terrace houses and cottages were renovated. A new middle class moved in. From the 1990s industrial districts were redeveloped with apartments.
South Melbourne was amalgamated with St Kilda and Port Melbourne in 1994. Together they created the City of Port Phillip.
Today South Melbourne maintains its charm. Its Victorian era streetscapes are well preserved. The South Melbourne Market remains a bustling hub. Small laneways echo the past with their bluestone cobbles. Terraced houses and cottages stand as a testament to Victorian architecture. The South Melbourne Town Hall clock tower remains a landmark.
South Melbourne is accessible by several tram routes. These include routes 1 12 58 and 96. Route 96 runs along the former St Kilda railway line.
In 2016 the census recorded 10920 people living in South Melbourne. Today South Melbourne is a vibrant suburb. It blends history with modern living. As we move on remember its journey. From a meeting place for indigenous people to a gold rush tent city and a modern urban hub. South Melbourne continues to evolve.