In 1905 the Town of North Melbourne voted to merge with the Melbourne City Council. The City of Melbourne and PROV developed an exhibition together to commemorate the centenary of this event. The stories feature the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) base plans of North Melbourne held at PROV. Using these plans as a guide, the researchers then delved into a number of other resources to put flesh onto the maps – to discover those who lived and worked in the streets the maps depict.

* Students can use similar resources from their own local libraries and read local newspapers to gather information and photos.

The researchers used:

• Documents from Public Record Office Victoria, the City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection, the University of Melbourne Archives, and the State Library of Victoria.
• Assistance and documentary materials were also received from the local history librarian at North Melbourne Library and members of the Hotham History Project. They have conducted many interviews with local residents over the years to record their stories about living in North Melbourne.
• Sands & McDougall directories and various local history books were used to discover the occupations and names of people in the area.

The exhibition examined five areas:

1. Meat and Markets
The district around the North Melbourne Metropolitan Meat Market, Queen Victoria Market near Elizabeth Street and Flemington Road areas.

2. Asylum, Town Hall and Shops
Errol Street, Victoria, Curzon, Abbotsford and Queensberry Street precinct.

3. Hotham Hill
The area near the intersection of Flemington Road and Dryburgh Street, Curran and Melrose Streets.

4. The Railway
The areas near North Melbourne station and the Arden Street oval.

5. Football and Gas
The areas of Shiel Street and Macaulay Road.

* Students could choose a local street and investigate its development and history.

Each of these precinct studies provide a vivid insight into the changes and developments that occurred in different localities of North Melbourne over time. As industries ceased and employment patterns changed, so did the town. North Melbourne was once a centre for local markets, industries and welfare agencies. Now only one market survives. Old factories and warehouses have been converted into accommodation. The railway footy team is long gone. The Town Hall has become a model for rejuvenation of old buildings and is now a live theatre complex. Many Errol Street shops survive. The gas works have been demolished and the building that PROV now occupies was built on the site.

The Town of North Melbourne grew out of the need to house the large number of immigrants coming to Victoria as a result of the discovery of gold in 1851.

The land was surveyed and cut up into allotments and sales took place in September 1852.

* Students could write a timeline of what they consider to be important developments in their municipality.

With its proximity to Melbourne's many markets, abundant water supply for industry, and port and rail terminals, the town of North Melbourne became the storehouse, transfer depot, and processing and manufacturing centre for much of Victoria’s produce. These activities and the associated trades radiated into the immediate community.

The following is a summary of the topics covered in the exhibition and demonstrates what students could discover in their own street or town.

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