Columns » History

Hotham (North Melbourne) Town Hall

August 18th, 2026 - Felicity Jack

The North Melbourne Town Hall (known today as the Arts House) was officially opened on June 27, 1876.

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History comes alive on Errol St

July 14th, 2026 - Claire Morgner

On June 20, Errol St became the setting for the second Winter Solstice Street Party, a local celebration of the longest night of the year supported by the Hotham History Project.

The history of St James Old Cathedral

June 17th, 2026 - Felicity Jack

St James Old Cathedral, on the corner of King and Batman streets, directly opposite the Flagstaff Gardens, is an important building in the early history of Melbourne.

1851: North and West Melbourne

May 20th, 2026 - Felicity Jack

July 1, 1851, was an important date in the history of Victoria, and particularly for North and West Melbourne.

Trekking through North and West Melbourne to Geelong, and fording the Moonee Ponds Creek

April 15th, 2026 - Geoff Leach

One of the earliest maps of Melbourne, the Robert Russell 1837 map, when Melbourne’s population was only a few hundred shows a “Track to the Saltwater River and Geelong”.

John Jones 1836-1909: West Melbourne builder

March 17th, 2026 - Felicity Jack

David Evans is a long-time member of the Hotham History Project.

Changing names: Flemington, Flemington Bank, Flemington Bridge

February 17th, 2026 - Geoff Leach

When first subdivided and sold in 1849 the area bounded by Boundary Rd, Racecourse Rd, Rankins Rd Kensington and Macaulay Rd, with the Moonee Ponds Creek in the middle, was known as Flemington. Stubbs St is the north-south road in the middle.