Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 21 October 1941, page 3


COLOURFUL

NAMES MELBOURNE HAS LOST

But for a mood of zealous for-mality which seized Melbourne's civic fathers in the 80's, some of its suburbs would today retain names expressive of their "local colour" in days when the settlement was a place for hardy pioneers.

Port Melbourne, for instance, had its name changed twice. For years it was known as Liardet's Beach, named after William F. Evelyn Liardet, its founder, who set up his camp at the site in 1839. Miss Rose Lenore Evelyn-Liardet, a descendant, died on October 12.

After his arrival from England Evelyn-Liardet brought a whaleboat from Sydney and plied between the sailing vessels and the shore. He helped to cut the first track through the scrub from his beach to Port Phillip town. Liardet's Beach later became Sandridge as a settlement grew up at the site, but in the 80's someone unhappily changed it to

Port Melbourne.

Garryowen, Melbourne's early chronicler, looked across the river at a fair green hill and named it Emerald Hill, but today we know it as South Melbourne. Preston was Irishtown to early Melbourne, and Philllpstown has become Brunswick.

North Melbourne might regret the loss of its former name, Hotham, but the change from Pentridge to Coburg was welcomed by residents living in the shadow of a local Go-vernment establishment.