Chronology

Significant events in the history of Kew and Kew East:

1800–1850

Month Year Event
1803 The Charles Grimes survey party moves beyond Dight’s Falls into what was to become Studley Park
1845 The first (successful) and second sale of Crown land in Kew
1846 A third sale of Crown land in Kew
1847 A fourth sale of Crown land in Kew

1850–1900

Month Year Event
1851 Hawthorn Bridge at the end of Bridge Road is constructed to cross the Yarra River
A fifth and sixth sale of Crown land in Kew
Fenwick purchases Allotment 87 as the site for the Village of Kew
1853 The first retail shop opens in Kew
1854 The Boroondara Roads District, covering Kew, Hawthorn and Camberwell is proclaimed
1856 The Boroondara Roads Board is establishedA provisional
Post Office is opened at Kew
1857 Studley Park Bridge (Penny Bridge) at end of Church Street opens. It is removed in 1878
1858 The ‘New Bridge’ at Johnston Street to Kew is opened. Suffering from dry rot, it requires continual repairs
Bonwick’s A Sketch of Boroondara is published
1859 The site of Boroondara Cemetery is proclaimed and the first burial takes place
1860 Hawthorn, and subsequently Kew, secedes from the Boroondara Road District to form separate municipalities
1861 The population of Kew reaches 1,439 (Males 711, Females 728). Kew has 279 inhabited dwellings
A new Hawthorn Bridge is opened
The South Bourke Standard, the first newspaper in the area, begins publication. [It ceases publication in 1873]
1863 Kew is proclaimed a Borough
Major flooding of the Yarra River
1864 A 340-acre site is reserved at Kew for the construction of a mental hospital
1866 The first kerosene street lamps are installed in Kew
1869 Gas supplies are extended across the Yarra to Kew
1871 The population of Kew reaches 2,430 (Males 1,146, Females 1,284)
1876 The Melbourne Omnibus Company starts a horse drawn bus service from Hawthorn Bridge to Kew
An iron-span bridge replaces the wooden ‘New Bridge’ at Johnston Street; it is replaced in 1958
1878 A mains water supply from Yan Yean Reservoir is extended into Kew
1881 The population of Kew reaches 4,288 (Males 2,072, Females 2,216). Kew has 565 inhabited dwellings
1882 The Kew and Hawthorn Express newspaper begins publication. It ceases publication in 1909.
The Boroondara Standard newspaper begins publication. It ceases publication in 1897.
1884 The Victoria Street Bridge opens
1887 A horse tram service from Victoria Bridge to the Kew Cemetery opens
The Hawthorn to Kew railway line opens with stations at Kew and Barkers Road
1888 The Kew Post Office, Court House and Police Station are built
The Kew Mercury newspaper begins publication. [It ceases publication in 1911]
1891 The population of Kew reaches 8,462 (Males 4,011, Females 4,451). Kew has 1,331 inhabited dwellings
The southern portion of the new Outer Circle Railway Line is officially opened
Major flooding of the Yarra River
1892 The Borough of Kew is subdivided into five wards: [North, Prospect, Studley Park, Central and College]
1893 The first purpose-built fire station is built in Walpole Street
1895 The walls and gates of the Boroondara (Kew) Cemetery are completed

 1900–1950

1901 The population of Kew reaches 9,469 (Males 4,354, Females 5,115). Kew has 1,586 inhabited dwellings
1910 The population of Kew reaches 9,820. Kew has 2,100 inhabited dwellings
Kew is gazetted as a Town
Kew Council makes a request for electric tramlines in the township
1912–24 A series of electric tramlines are constructed throughout Kew
1915 The tram tracks from Victoria Bridge to the Boroondara Cemetery are completed
1916 Major flooding of the Yarra River
1921 The population of Kew reaches 17,382. Kew is gazetted as a City
Major flooding of the Yarra River
1923 Major flooding of the Yarra River
1926 The Kew Advertiser newspaper begins publication
1928 Kane’s [foot] Bridge, linking Yarra Bend Park (Fairfield) and Studley Park (Kew), is built
1929 The Fairfield Railway Bridge is converted for road traffic and opened
1934 Major flooding of the Yarra River
1947 The population of Kew reaches 30,859.

 1950–2000

1952 Discontinuation of passenger services on the Kew Branch Railway line
1954 The population of Kew reaches 31,518.
1958 The Kew Railway line closes
The New Johnston Street Bridge opens
1959 The Kew Railway yards are dismantled and demolished
1960 The new Kew City Hall is officially opened
‘Tara Hall’ in Studley Park Road is demolished
WD Vaughn’s Kew’s Civic Century is published
1961 The population of Kew reaches 33,341.
1966 The population of Kew declines to 32,819. Kew has 9,404 inhabited dwellings
1973 Dorothy Roger’s A History of Kew is published
1976 The population of Kew declines to 29,683.
1986 The population of Kew declines to 28,162.

References


Government of Victoria 1863, Census of Victoria, 1861
Government of Victoria 1874, Census of Victoria, 1871
Government of Victoria 1883, Census of Victoria, 1881
Government of Victoria 1893, Census of Victoria, 1891
Government of Victoria 1904, Census of Victoria, 1901
Reeves, S. 2012, Thematic Environmental History
Rogers, D. 1973. A History of Kew
Government of Victoria, Victorian Year Book 1973.
Vaughan W.D. 1960, Kew’s Civic Century.