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Pavilions in an urban forest
The fences came down at the exhausted end of the year when attention and time were scarce. Martin Foley, recently re-elected as the state member for Albert Park, opened the newly completed Pickles St...
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Trees in the median
Each year begins with the profuse flowering of Corymbia ficifolia trees in the broad Danks St median that connects Middle Park and Port Melbourne. The flowering gum is originally a native of open...
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Feeling the heat
I just couldn’t settle on a topic for Port Places this week. Ideas arose only to be dismissed like tennis balls at the Australian Open. None would do. Then I realised what was most on my mind – and...
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A Ginger Nut Bakehouse
One of the most fondly remembered but most tantalisingly elusive of Port memories is the smell of gingernuts baking at Swallow & Ariell. Over more than one hundred and thirty years Swallow &...
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Penny post to NBN
We continue where we left off last week, at Swallow & Ariell in Port Melbourne. When Ariell died, founder Thomas Swallow went into partnership with his son-in-law, Frederick Derham. Like Swallow,...
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Palm trees in Port
Improving the Port Melbourne foreshore has been an enduring preoccupation of commentators, councillors and observers of the Port Melbourne scene for nearly a hundred years. The Town Planning...
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Stewardship
It rained. At last. It had seemed fruitless to invite people to the annual community planting day at Lagoon Reserve, even though the mulch had been spread in readiness and the date arranged. But it’s...
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Federal election in Macnamara
Some Port houses wore their colours on the fence in the lead up to the election on 18 May. The four polling booths in Port Melbourne – Bubup Womindjeka, Fishermans Bend Community Centre, Albert Park...
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Loss
On Saturday, at the Lagoon Reserve community planting, I found out that Chris, who lived opposite the park, had died six months ago. His neighbour told me. I didn’t know Chris’s surname until that...
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A story of urban change
Port Melbourne Baseball Club Premiers 1961 Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society This photograph tells a big story. In the foreground, the Port Melbourne baseball team of 1961 on Lagoon...
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Princes Pier to Bonegilla
Anticipating Refugee Week 2019, 16 to 22 June HMAS Kanimbla tied up at Princes Pier on 7 December 1947. On board were 839 people from displaced persons camps in Europe: 727 men and 112 women. All of...
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The olive harvest
They arrive at about 8 am – swirling, screeching flocks of little corellas. There’s such a carry on that curious children come to their front doors to see what’s going on. Corellas in an olive tree...
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The First Quarter 2019
State of play in Fishermans Bend Montague For the first time since observing Montague on Port Places, businesses are moving in to the area, rather than out. Telleish Hair Studio, (followed by 25.4k...
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Viewing Park Towers, 1969 – 2019
Port Places welcomes this week’s contribution from Brendan Baxter. A photograph in his family’s collection leads to reflections on housing policy and provision in Victoria. Brendan is an architect and...
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The promenade
Making connections on the Beacon Cove promendade Every morning and in every season* Lenny, Ruby and Fred meet on the Beacon Cove Promenade. Lenny Williams, Ruby and Fred Nicholson Ruby is the star...
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Painting the city
W.F.E. – Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn – Liardet had impressive twirling moustaches as well as impressive initials. Liardet and his wife Caroline and their nine children arrived on ‘the Beach’ in what is...
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Riding in the city
I ride a bike. I like riding my bike. There are so many reasons why I do. life’s better with a bike It’s often quicker than driving – especially from Port to St Kilda at peak hour.It’s less effort...
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The transformation of Danks St
Majestic Eucalyptus botryoides define the Danks St median In January I walked along the long wide Danks St median between Port Melbourne and Middle Park admiring the trees but regretting that it...
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Family tree
In November 1839, one hundred and eighty years ago, Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn Liardet, his wife Caroline and their nine children arrived in Hobsons Bay on board the William Metcalfe. Rather than...
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The reporting season
In a cycle more predictable than the erratic seasons, community organisations account to their members at the annual general meeting. Since the annual meeting must be held within five months of the...
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