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Albert Park and its Lake
History and Development
By C.H.J.
IN 1844 the Council of the Mel
bourne City Corporation peti
tioned the Government to reserve
a piece of land as a park;' that
domain Is now called "Albert Park."
it mo 5 named alter Albert the Good.
the Royal Consort of Queen Vlc-
The City Council's minute book,
under date June 20, 1853, reveals
that at the council meeting Cr.
Davis moved, and Cr. Haywood
seconded, "That the Right Worship
ful the Mayor be requested to make
application to the Executive Govern
ment to grant the Corporation the
tract of land lying between the Go
vernment Domain find the. Bay as
a Home Park for public recreation."
The motion was carried, subject to an
amendment that added the words,
"as shown in the place prepared by
the City Surveyor as a Home Park."
Swamp Reclaimed
In January, 1873, the report of a
survey was submitted to the Albert
Park Lagoon Improvement Commit
tee by the Minister (Mr. J. F. Mc
pherson Grant), who stated that he
would place £6000 on the estimates
"If it could be shown that any good
could be done in making the lagoon
available for regatta and general pur
poses." It was proposed by the engi
neer in chief of the Public Works to
deepen the northern half of the lake
to a minimum of three feet, to raise
the level of the water six inches, and
to deposit the sediment raised along
the margin of the bank to strengthen
the foreshore. For filling the lake
water was to be raised from the Yarra
River by steam pump, and carried
to the lake by a twelve-Inch earthen
ware main. This pump would also
supply water for the Botanic Gardens
ana the Domain. It has been stated
by some of the old (Emerald Hill)
Sioneers that the Albert Park Lake
, a former mouth of the Yarra, and
when a great flood came about 1870-
75 the river broke across St. Kllda-
road near Princes-bridge, where It
was depressed, poured behind the
Victoria Barracks and ran through the
lake and found Its old way to the
sea. The whole area between Port
Melbourne-road and the railway was
covered . with water and connection
with Melbourne was by boat.
Government' Reservation
On March 21, 1878, -the Government
resolved upon the permanent reserva
tion of 540 acres, "more or less," of
Albert Park. At a later date a Grown
grant of 570 acres. Including 120
acres of lake, was issued with this In
tention to the South Melbourne and
St. KUda corporations and the Board
of Land and Works. About 1864 row
ing boats were Introduced, and later
rowing 'clubs with boat houses under
permissive occupancy were estab
lished' prom the well-appointed
Cricket Club reserve, with its fine
commodious pavilion, there sprang up
in time accessory sports clubs to find
accommodation in the park, such as
the friendly bowling clubs, the In
creasingly popular football, and the
ancient game of skittles.
In 1871 there was a conference to
consider forming a boating course
in the lake and a carriage drive in
the park. The Cricket Club asked
for a chain fence to enclose the
playing ground. The Bowling and
Croquet clubs had a conference with
the City Council on the subject of
Improving the park, the "Serpen
tine" committee asking the council
to arrange for protection to the
lawns. Saddle horses only were al
lowed to exercise and show their
jaces at a specified place within cer-
-ain hours. The open spaces in
time became taken up by many
Junior cricket, football, hockey ana
tennis clubs, on the principle enun
ciated by the Lands department In
a letter from the council . refusing
the allotment of a certain area to
the club of no standing: "No occu
pancy whereby the general public
are excluded should be permitted to
play In the open portions of the
park."
Progressive Transformation
In 1872 the "South Park Lagoon"
in conformity became "Albert Park
Lagoon," and is now known as the
"Albert Park Lake." The lake, 113
acres in extent, makes a pleasing re
lief to the park, and is freely used
for aquatic sports. A cement coping
around the shores prevents undue
silting and shallowing. The park has
been well planted with suitable trees
and soft grasses, while the ap
proaches are open and . attractive;
well-kept roads encircle, the park on
every side, and a large staff is em
ployed In Its maintenance and care.
The progressive transformation of
Albert Park through the years Indi
cated a public desire for an orna
mental' lake. The lake area had
first to be defined; and in its early
formation, in some places, to give
consistence and prevent seepage,
clay was laid down. In the early
days the park lake was the haunt of
numerous wild fowl, and so as far
back as 1862 the Acclimatisation So
ciety asked the council to endeavor to
protect at the park all native birds
except hawks, and notified that an
act for the preservation of game
had been passed to operate from
August, 1862. Albert Park is de
servedly popular, either as a quiet
place of rest, or a pleasant healthy
resort open to the Influences of sea
and air, or as the scene for a variety
of recreation.
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