Creator J. Crofs

Date 1839

After annulling Batman's 'Treaty' in 1835, this map three years later shows that the Government's plans to settle Melbourne were proceeding apace...Melbourne town can be seen newly laid out on the banks of the 'Yarra Yarra', while large farms are offered to the north for sale, in an area from Tullamarine to Heidelberg. These were quickly bought by Sydney speculators, along the with the area marked blue, 'the greater part of which are already sold' by 1838!..The little 875 acre yellow block labelled 'Native Institution' (located at South Yarra) is a poignant reminder of the iniquitous land 'deal' dealt to the indigenous owners who roamed freely through this country for 40 thousand years, up until just 3 years before the publication of this map...Land grants were administered by New South Wales until 1851, when the self-governing 'Colony of Victoria' was created.

Source: State Library of Victoria