Port Phillip

“ Within the port on the eastern side are suburbs of Melbourne, such as Sorrento, Mornington, Frankston, Carrum, Mordialloc, Redcliff, Brighton and St Kilda. The wharves of Port Melbourne and Williamstown stand at the head of the port on an arm known as Hobson’s Bay. On the western side the port of Geelong and the port and watering-place of Queenscliff are the only towns of importance. Port Phillip is well fortified with strong batteries at its entrance. ”

“ From what has been before said of the climate of Port Phillip some idea may be formed of the kind of clothing with which it is proper to be provided; and as a considerable degree of cold as well as great heat is to be guarded against, at different times of the year, it is necessary to have a good stock suited to each purpose. ”

“ We may begin with the very recent colony called Port Phillip, which lies between New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land, and which, as we have already seen, had well nigh taken the place of the latter country in the honours of early colonization. The country in the neighbourhood of the inlet named Port Phillip is in many parts exceedingly rich and fine; the scenery is varied by hills, woods, and water; and besides much excellent pasture and sheep walks, there are thousands of acres ready for the plough, and capable of growing any European grain. ”

“ I stated at the beginning of this work that on my arrival at Port Phillip I was much struck by the progress that had even then been made, and I think that I cannot better conclude this account of the district than by briefly recapitulating the marked features which indicate its present state of advancement, at a period of somewhat less than eight years from its first settlement. In the first place, then, we have a population of 20,000 souls, occupying a territory larger than Ireland, for the greater part in perfect peace and security. ”

“ Favoured with such a soil and climate, Port Phillip raises in abundance almost every product of central and southern Europe. The vine, the fig-tree, the peach, the plum, the apple, and the melon, all grow most luxuriantly, while the common vegetables, onions in particular, attain a great size and perfection. The potato, too, which is worth all the poetry of vines and fig-trees put together, flourishes in prosaic simplicity. Wheat and barley do remarkably well, oats not so well. Indian corn thrives. In fact there are few countries more prolific. ”

“ The ship was anchored under the shelter of the Nepean Peninsula, nearly opposite the present Portsea. On the way back Flinders shot "some delicate teal," near the piece of water which Murray had called Swan Harbour, and a few black swans were caught.
Port Phillip has since become important as the seat of one of the great cities of the world, and its channels are used by commercial fleets flying every colour known to the trading nations. Scarcely an hour of the day goes by, but the narrow waters dividing the port from the ocean are churned by the propellers of great ships. ”

“ That this is a practical evil, exercising at this moment an extensive influence on the welfare of the colony, no man will deny who has seen the imperfect mode in which too many of the sheep in the Port Phillip district are washed, or the wretched huts in which the operation of shearing is sometimes performed; nor can any one who looks at the returns of the London wool sales fail to recognize its injurious effects in the comparatively low prices of Port Phillip wools. ”

“ Indeed, the squatters on the Australian Continent—those useful pioneers of colonization—were otherwise profitably employed. The occupation of new country, which led to the settlement of Port Phillip, in 1837, and of Twofold Bay, in 1839, had been carried, in 1840, 300 miles to the north, beyond and behind Moreton Bay—whilst to the south and west, sheep and cattle stations extended beyond Port Phillip to the very confines of South Australia ”

“ Corio Harbour is in fact the best anchorage in Port Phillip, that at Hobson's Bay being very confined, and scarcely affording any shelter from southerly winds for large ships. Moreover, Corio Harbour lies more convenient for the western districts, there being no other place where the sheep-farmers of those parts can, with safety, ship their wool, except Portland Bay. ”

“ Under these circumstances there can be, as I said before, no reasonable apprehension of the colony of Port Phillip not being able to support the expenses of its government in case of its separation from Sydney; for, allowing £10,000 a year as the increased expenditure consequent upon such a step, there would still remain a sum of about £33,000 per annum applicable to the purposes of public works, and to meet contingencies. ”

“ Murray took possession of the place on March 9th, naming it Port King, and Surveyor Grimes made a survey of it. They left on March 12th. The Frenchman Baudin, with the Geographe and Naturaliste, eighteen days later ran along this coast and claimed its discovery, although the Englishmen, Flinders in particular, had already surveyed and named nearly all his discoveries; but Baudin was gracious enough to admit that Port Phillip, which he had only sighted, had been first entered by the Lady Nelson. ”

“ He arrived with his fleet of transports in 1788, after a voyage of many months' duration, so managed that, though the fleet was the first to make the passage and was made up of more ships and more prisoners than any succeeding fleet, there was less sickness and fewer deaths than on any of the convoys which followed it Phillip made a careful examination of Botany Bay, and finding it unsuitable for planting, the settlement was removed to Port Jackson. ”

“ The Wesleyan missionaries at Port Phillip, notwithstanding an expenditure, in 1841, of nearly thirteen hundred pounds, acknowledge that they are far from satisfied with the degree of success 'which has attended our labours,' and that 'a feeling of despair sometimes takes possession of our minds, and weighs down our spirits,' arising from the frightful mortality among the natives. ”

“ The export of the wool is not entirely confined to the sheep reared on these stations, for already the squatters have pushed across the Glenelg, and formed numerous stations in a fine country to the north of a place called Port Rivoli, in the district of South Australia, and on the disputed territory between the boundaries of South Australia and Port Phillip ”

“ Bidding adieu to our hospitable friends, we left Port Phillip, and having spent a night at Port Western, stood out from it next morning, and passed over in 12 and 15 fathoms, the patch of discoloured water discovered by Flinders, two miles south of the remarkable round islet, that lies off the western extreme of Grant Island. Pursuing our course to the eastward, we were detained by contrary winds for some time among the islands at the eastern entrance of the Strait. All these we found to be considerably out in position, showing the necessity of an accurate survey. ”

“ This greatly increases the difficulty of the overland communication between Port Phillip and the available land on Port Western, travellers being compelled to take a very circuitous road in order to avoid this almost impassable tract, and reach the banks of Bass river, where the best soil is found, and which has been named after the enterprising man whose memory must for ever remain intimately connected with this part of the world. ”

“ As far as its pastoral and agricultural capabilities go, I believe Port Phillip to be as fine a district as any in the world. The advantages indeed of the Australian colonies must be nearly equal, from the fact that the pursuits of their respective inhabitants are so nearly the same. Local circumstances may give some parts of the continent a preference over others, but, as points of emigration there is little choice. ”

“ POPULATION—EXPORTS AND OTHER STATISTICS—EXPORTS AND REVENUE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA—BOILING DOWN SHEEP—EXPORT OF TALLOW—SALT BEEF—HORSES—MIMOSA BARK
Having given a general sketch of the country and climate, I now come to the inhabitants, and their means of acquiring wealth and comfort. The population of the district of Port Phillip is estimated at 20,000; of these about 9,000 are supposed to be resident in Melbourne and its suburbs. This is far too large a proportion; in fact, the town of Melbourne is large enough to supply the wants of a rural population of 60,000 souls. ”

“ La Pérouse had been obliged to fire on them at Botany Bay; and this, coupled with the bad behaviour of some of the transport seamen and convicts, caused the natives to avoid the settlers at Port Jackson for a time. Phillip himself, while at Botany Bay, had very quickly made friends with them by going among them alone and unarmed, and no disputes occurred with them during his stay there. ”

“ The vessels generally lie at Hobson’s Bay, distant by land four or five miles, by water ten or twelve. There is a bar at the entrance of the river which prevents large ships from coming up close to Melbourne. The town appears to be rapidly increasing; the commerce of Port Phillip is yearly extending; its central position, the goodness of much of the surrounding soil, and the fact of its being less encumbered than is usually the case with wood, all these circumstances unite in rendering this outpost, as we may term it, of New South Wales, an important and interesting spot. ”

“ Half a dozen settlements had been formed at places within a few miles of Sydney; advantage had been taken of the discoveries of Bass and Flinders, and settlements made at Hobart and at Port Dalrymple; while an attempt (resulting in failure on this occasion and described later on) was made to colonize Port Phillip. A good deal of country was under cultivation, and stock had greatly increased, so that in the seventeen years that had elapsed some progress had been made, but the state of society at Botany Bay had grown worse rather than better. ”

“ Findley, Navigation of the South Pacific Ocean, 1863, has a remark about the approach to the port from the west: "In approaching Port Phillip from the westward, the entrance cannot be distinguished until Nepean Point, the eastern point, bears north-north-east, when Shortland's Bluff, on which the lighthouses are erected, opens out, and a view of the estuary is obtained." ”

“ The establishment of a settlement at Port Phillip being determined on by the ministry of Great Britain, an expedition was forwarded, which consisted of the Calcutta, 50 guns, Captain Woodriff, and the Ocean, a transport of 500 tons. In addition to the convicts, there were forty marines, four hundred male prisoners, twelve free settlers and their families, six unmarried women, six the wives of prisoners, and six children. It is scarcely necessary to remark, that the morals of the officers, or of the women, were not superior either to the service or to the times. ”

“ There are two banks established at Melbourne—one a branch of the Bank of Australasia, and the other of the Union Bank of Australia. There was another entitled the Port Phillip Bank, which closed last year with loss to the shareholders, but having discharged all its liabilities, and paid a small dividend on each share. There is a mechanics' institute, the building belonging to which is used as a town-hall, and for holding public balls, concerts, &c. There are several hotels, some of which are very well conducted. ”

“ From an entrance not more than two miles across, Port Jackson gradually extends into a noble and capacious bason; having soundings sufficient for the largest vessels, and space to accommodate, in perfect security, any number that could be assembled. It runs chiefly in a western direction, about thirteen miles into the country, and contains not less than an hundred small coves, formed by narrow necks of land, whose projections afford admirable shelter from all winds. Sydney Cove lies on the South side of the harbour, between five and six miles from the entrance. ”

“ In Sydney, on the contrary, the system, with regard to both these points, was the same as at Port Phillip; and it is from the settlers and old hands of the Sydney district that we have learned most of what we know with respect to the improved management of sheep and the eradication of scab. On the whole, the old hands have been of essential service to the country, and when kept in order by persons who understand what is their duty, and who make them perform it, they are useful servants. They are, however, a disagreeable set of men to deal with ”

“ His reputation in the courts, however, rapidly grew, and he was drawn into active political life, becoming one of the great advocates for the separation of Port Phillip from New South Wales. In 1851 he became the first attorney-general of the newly erected colony and held this office till 28 Nov. ”

“ Persons who know but little of the colony, and who have only heard that money matters have been in a state of great confusion, will be surprized to hear that sheep farming at present promises to be a more remunerating employment than it has been for the last four years, or, indeed, than it has ever been in the Port Phillip district. ”

“ Under the north-west end of King's Island, near the New Year's Isles. Of this anchorage I know only, besides what is given in the chart, that the brig Harrington there rode out a gale from south-west, the heavy sea being broken off by the New Year's Isles; and the shelter from eastern winds must certainly be much more complete.
2nd. Port Phillip; anchoring just within the entrance, on the south side. When a fair wind comes, a ship can get out of the port by means of the strong tides. ”