Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 - 1954), Thursday 24 July 1941, page 4


Facts About Victoria THE Publicity and Tourist Services, Victorian Railways. Melbourne, are issuing free of charge a 32-page booklet, which gives interesting facts about Victoria. It deals with the parliamentary system: area and boun-daries: population: temperature: rain-fail: mountain peaks: navigable rivers: lakes: water supply; irrigation; pumping irrigation systems; gravitation irrigation systems: the Hume Reservoir: pioneer irrigation settlement: forests and timbers; gold: limestone, iron and oil: brown coal and electricity: black coal: primary indilstries; sheep: wheat: dairying; pig raising; beet sugar; fruit; manufactures; railways: banks: education: native ani mals and birds: flora and other sub-jects. It also gives the principal dates in the settlement and colonisation of Victoria. These include:-1798, Western Port discovered by Sturgeon George Bass; 1800, Cape Bridgewater discovered by Lieutenant Grant. 1801, Lieutenant Grant cleared an area on Phillip Island (Western Port) and planted wheat, Indian corn, peas, rice, coffee and potatoes. 1802. Port Phillip Bay entered by Lieutenant Murray, and also Captain Matthew Flinders. 1803. Discovery of the River Yarra by Charles Robbins, also settlement attempted by Lieut.-Colonel David Collins near Sorrento. 1824, explorers Hume and Hovell reached Corio Bay (Geelong) after a long overland j'ourney from Sydney. 18280, settlement by Captain C. Wright at Corinella, Western Port. 1820, temporary settlements made by whalers at Portland and Port Fairy. '1834, first settlement by the Henty brothers at Portland. 18R-5. arrival of John Batman in Port Phillip Bay and foundation of Melbourne by John Pascoe Fawkner. 1837, Melbourne named by Governor Bourke and city laid out by Robert Hoddie. 1951, gold discovered. (In this year Victoria was also named and separated from New South Wales). 1854, first Victorian and Australian r:ailway opened from Melbourne to Sandridge (Port Melbourne). 185;, first constitutional Parliament. .. + 4