Researching 19th century Melbourne, Australia
Updated: Dec 6, 2020
I'm doing some research on the founding of Melbourne, Australia in 1835.
My protagonist Jane, arrived there from Dublin, in 1846, so I need to know what she is getting into.
This book, by James Boyce is the perfect read.
1835: The Founding of Melbourne and the Conquest of Australia.
It is meticulously researched and written in an engaging style.
It shows the devastating impact on the Aboriginal communities already living in Victoria when the first settlers arrived from Van Dieman's Land.
In just ten years, from 1835, most of the grasslands around Melbourne were leased out to 'squatters' for sheep runs, then sold, bringing in a fortune for the Government.
At the same time, the Aboriginal peoples who had owned the land for thousands of years were displaced. Many were killed and many died of diseases of poverty such as TB and dysentery.