GOVERNMENT PADDOCK> became site of Jolimont (and now part of Yarra Park area?)
A plan drawn by Surveyor Robert Hoddle in 1837, shows two large, adjacent tracts of land, east of Melbourne, labelled the Police Magistrates Paddock and the Government Paddock. Yarra Park was developed on the latter,
which was further from the city of Melbourne. These ran from the northern boundary (now Wellington Parade) south to the Yarra River.
It also shows an area set aside for future ownership by then Superintendent Charles La
Trobe in the north-west corner of the Government Paddock.
From 1836-39, Captain Lonsdale, Police Magistrate of Port Phillip, occupied a house on the Police Magistrate’s Paddock to the west of La Trobe’s land. The first mounted police arrived from Sydney in 1838 and this whole
area was reserved to graze their horses. A feeding shed was constructed on the Police Paddock in 1839. Six acres at the corner of Wellington and Punt Roads were used as Police Barracks and a gaol. The first part of the land permanently alienated from the reserve was 12 ½ acres already mentioned at the northwest corner of the Government Paddock. This was purchased by La Trobe himself and used as his official residence. Known as Jolimont, it was subdivided and sold after he left Victoria in 1854.
A plan of Melbourne of 1852 shows the Yarra Park area as being heavily timbered. It also shows La Trobe’s land fenced off, Police Barracks in the north-east corner and two paths leading diagonally across the site from Rowena Parade and Swan Street in the east to Wellington Parade in the north. These paths, which reflect the
routes taken by early settlers in Richmond, remain today. >>SOURCE -p12 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24 ‘YARRA PARK’
GOVERNMENT POLICE PADDOCK -also known as RICHMOND PADDOCK- is this the same as POLICE MAGISTRATES PADDOCK? or is it the GOVERNMENT PADDOCK? basically all part of this:
This extensive reserve, covering 220
acres, stretched from Wellington Street, East Melbourne, to the Yarra River.
SOURCE -p12 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24 ‘YARRA PARK’
RICHMOND PADDOCK: part of the same larger site of GOVERNMENT POLICE PADDOCK/GOVERNMENT PADDOCK? or both current day site Yarra Park.
This extensive reserve, covering 220
acres, stretched from Wellington Street, East Melbourne, to the Yarra River.
SOURCE -p12 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24 ‘YARRA PARK’
Lonsdale’s cottage and the more rudimentary timber huts that comprised the Native Police barracks were situated in the Government
Police Paddock (also known as Richmond Paddock; later the site of Yarra Park). This extensive reserve, covering 220 acres, stretched from Wellington Street, East Melbourne, to
the Yarra River. The Native Police Corps were stationed here from 1838–39.
SOURCE p34-35 Context Pty Ltd 2012, Thematic History: A History of the City of Melbourne’s Urban Environment, prepared for the City of Melbourne.
G.A. Robinson and William Buckley, ‘the wild
white man’, also took orders from Lonsdale at this site and both men also briefly resided here. Although based at the Dandenong police paddock from 1842, the Native Police
continued to regularly camp and drill at the Richmond police paddock into the 1850s. In 1839 buildings were erected in the south-west corner of the reserve to accommodate the mounted
police and the mounted police horses.
SOURCE p34-35 Context Pty Ltd 2012, Thematic History: A History of the City of Melbourne’s Urban Environment, prepared for the City of Melbourne.
‘Yarra Park developed on the Government Paddock which was east of the adjacent Police Magistrate’s Paddock. This land, of some 157 acres, was recommended for reservation in 1862. It became known as Richmond Park before being temporarily reserved and renamed Yarra Park in 1867. It was not permanently reserved until 1873.
A network of paths developed through Yarra Park, along desire lines. The first of these, from Punt Road to Wellington Street, were established as early as 1852. These grew in complexity as north south pathways were developed, as the sporting venues grew in popularity and the railway stations were established at the park’s boundaries. These pathways generally continue to be used.’
SOURCE -p7 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24 ‘YARRA PARK’
The first part of the land permanently alienated from the reserve was 12 ½ acres already mentioned at the northwest corner of the Government Paddock. This was purchased by La Trobe himself and used as his official
residence. Known as Jolimont, it was subdivided and sold after he left Victoria in 1854.
A plan of Melbourne of 1852 shows the Yarra Park area as being heavily timbered. It also shows La Trobe’s land fenced off, Police Barracks in the north-east corner and two paths leading diagonally across the site from Rowena Parade and Swan Street in the east to Wellington Parade in the north. These paths, which reflect the
routes taken by early settlers in Richmond, remain today. SOURCE -p12 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24 ‘YARRA PARK’
POLICE MAGISTRATES PADDOCK current site: Yarra Park
A plan drawn by Surveyor Robert Hoddle in 1837, shows two large, adjacent tracts of land, east of Melbourne, labelled the Police Magistrates Paddock …From 1836-39, Captain Lonsdale, Police Magistrate of Port Phillip, occupied a house on the Police Magistrate’s Paddock to the west of La Trobe’s land. The first mounted police arrived from Sydney in 1838 and this whole
area was reserved to graze their horses. A feeding shed was constructed on the Police Paddock in 1839. Six acres at the corner of Wellington and Punt Roads were used as Police Barracks and a gaol.
SOURCE -p12 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24 ‘YARRA PARK’
A plan drawn by Surveyor Robert Hoddle in 1837, shows two large, adjacent tracts of land, east of Melbourne, labelled the Police Magistrates Paddock and the Government Paddock. Yarra Park was developed on the latter,
which was further from the city of Melbourne. These ran from the northern boundary (now Wellington Parade) south to the Yarra River.
It also shows an area set aside for future ownership by then Superintendent Charles La
Trobe in the north-west corner of the Government Paddock.
From 1836-39, Captain Lonsdale, Police Magistrate of Port Phillip, occupied a house on the Police Magistrate’s Paddock to the west of La Trobe’s land. The first mounted police arrived from Sydney in 1838 and this whole
area was reserved to graze their horses. A feeding shed was constructed on the Police Paddock in 1839. Six acres at the corner of Wellington and Punt Roads were used as Police Barracks and a gaol. The first part of the land permanently alienated from the reserve was 12 ½ acres already mentioned at the northwest corner of the Government Paddock. This was purchased by La Trobe himself and used as his official residence. Known as Jolimont, it was subdivided and sold after he left Victoria in 1854.
A plan of Melbourne of 1852 shows the Yarra Park area as being heavily timbered. It also shows La Trobe’s land fenced off, Police Barracks in the north-east corner and two paths leading diagonally across the site from Rowena Parade and Swan Street in the east to Wellington Parade in the north. These paths, which reflect the
routes taken by early settlers in Richmond, remain today. >>SOURCE -p12 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24 ‘YARRA PARK’
JOLIMONT ESTATE
Melbourne at the time was largely a primitive settlement and [LaTrobe] established the Jolimont estate (named after a country house in Switzerland where he had spent time tutoring) for himself, his Swiss wife and daughter. He had been advised that there would be no official house provided for him, so he brought a prefabricated house with him from England, and this was erected on the north-west corner of the Government Paddock (now Yarra Park). He acquired the land (12.5 acres) at auction in June 1840 and the original four roomed cottage became the nucleus of the house the family resided in for fourteen years. When La Trobe returned to England in 1854 he was dependent on the investment he had made at Jolimont. The
cottages were initially rented, however the land was subsequently subdivided and sold. A plan of the Jolimont Estate drawn in 1865 shows the dense subdivision that occurred at this time. La Trobe’s cottage (VHR 1076) was relocated to the Domain in 1963.
-SOURCE p12 Victorian Heritage Database Report Report generated 14/02/24
‘YARRA PARK’
burrows & co 