Year 9 Bridges: City

Even today, the contentious question remains: who is Melbourne's rightful founder? Early histories of Melbourne not only piece together the answer to this question, they also reveal the fascinating, sometimes scandalous secrets of Melbourne's most revered men.

In 1837, when the Melbourne city grid was conceived, Surveyor Robert Hoddle and Governor Bourke had a grand vision for the young city.

The Encyclopedia is an A to Z reference work covering the city's history from pre-European settlement up to the present day.

Look up and admire the grand, elegant architecture of Melbourne's heritage buildings and their bold, striking contemporary neighbours, and visit design markets and studios to see why the city has become Australia's centre of contemporary design.