Historical and Other Notes

SOURCE: MELBOURNE WATER Some Maribyrnong River History Maribyrnong River’s name comes from the Aboriginal phrase  Mirring-gnay-bir-nong , meaning ‘I can hear a ringtail possum’. It was originally called Saltwater River due to the seawater that entered from Hobson’s Bay, into which it directly flowed. The Wurundjeri people have always had a deep connection to the area. The river was of great importance and used for a variety of purposes: drinking water building material  transport medicine – including edible plants that grew on the river flats food – fish and eels thrived in the river, and big game like kangaroos and emus lived on the plains, along with smaller animals like echidnas, possums, lizards and water birds. In 1857 Victoria’s first irrigator, David Milburn, settled in the area. He developed a way to draw water from the river using a hand pump, and grew fruit and vegetables to sell to diggers travelling to the goldfields. This was the start of Keilor’s market gardening...

LISTEN TO A PODCAST AND BALLAD ON SPOTIFY  I  MADE ABOUT THIS ORIGINAL PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS These historical accounts chronicle the  engineering achievements  and  social celebrations  surrounding the nineteenth-century development of the  Buninyong Railway . The documentation highlights the  technical challenges  faced during construction, detailing the extensive  excavation works , numerous  culverts , and the specific  geographic elevations  required to navigate the undulating Victorian landscape. Beyond the physical infrastructure, the records capture the  community spirit  of the 1889 opening, where over  one thousand local children  participated in festivities supported by regional businesses. The narrative also examines the expected  economic impact  on existing townships and the eventual  industrial utility  of various stations, such as the military-focused Butts station. Fin...