In July 1891 Melbourne suffered a major flood, when the Yarra River burst its banks and flooded surrounding areas. Later in the 1890s, plans were developed to straighten out the Yarra River to help reduce this flooding. Carlo Catani prepared the plans and the entire project was carried out under his direction and supervision. The work included the widening of the Yarra to the 300 feet as recommended by the Flood Board of Inquiry in 1892, but from Princes Bridge to the Cremorne Railway bridge, and diverting the course of the river to remove a sharp bend.
On July 24, 1896 Carlo Catani wrote this letter to the Inspector of General Public Works, Davidson about the proposed Yarra River works -
The question is a complex one, as it involves, besides reducing the flood level, the other equally important one of improving and straightening the bed of the Yarra for navigation and recreation purposes, and also that very important factor of forming a beautiful promenade, worthy of Melbourne, on the bank of the river, where all classes could meet.*
These were the proposed works which included removing a sharp bend and widening the river.
By 1897 according to a report in
The Australasian of November 13, 1897 the Avenue beside the Yarra was under construction (read the full report
here)
On the south bank a boulevard is in course of formation. It is so far advanced that a steam roller is now consolidating the metal between the five lines of deciduous trees. These trees define the various avenues. The avenue, 25ft wide, next the river bank is for pedestrians; next there is a bicycle track, also 25ft wide; then a carriage way 68ft wide; and finally a track for equestrians 33ft wide. The equestrian track was covered with tan.
Did Melbourne succeed in fulfilling Carlo's hopes of having a
a beautiful promenade, worthy of Melbourne, on the bank of the river? We will turn to
The Argus of November 13, 1937 to see what they had to say on the matter. On that day the newspaper had a feature on 'Great thoroughfares of the World' written by L.R. McLennan. You can read the full article
here but here is an excerpt
Paris may boast of its Champs Elysees, Berlin of its Tiergarten and its Unter den Linden, London of its Rotton Row and Rio de Janeiro of its spacious paved thoroughfares. Melbourne, a city scarcely past its century, has in St. Kilda road and Alexandra avenue two glorious thoroughfares, which, even the most seasoned of travellers admits, would grace any of the great cities of other lands. Visitors to Melbourne have called these two outlets 'the most beautiful in the world'.
There are many famous riverside drives oversea, but in the opinion of architectural and civic leaders in Melbourne there are few to compare with Alexandra avenue....... Alexandra avenue, whose shadowed and dappled beauty ....must stand, while the City of Melbourne endures, as a lasting monument to the genius, foresight, and pertinacity of Carlo Catani. It is to Catani, great planner for the future, a former engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department of Victoria at a period when the city was stepping from its swaddling clothes, more than to anyone else, that the residents of Melbourne owe this sweeping boulevard of almost Elysian beauty which is now in the green prime of the springtime.
Clearly, Carlo's hopes for the beautiful promenade were realised.
The Avenue was officially opened by the Duke of Cornwall and York on May 17, 1901. The main purpose of the visit of the Duke and Duchess, who would later become King George V and Queen Mary, was to open the first Commonwealth Parliament on May 9 at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne. The Avenue was named after his mother, Queen Alexandra (I have included a short family tree of the Royal family at the end of this post)
The
State Library of Victoria has a number of photos of Alexandra Avenue - here are a few -
Melbourne - Alexandra Avenue showing new cut for straightening the Yarra River and later the new course of the river
State Library of Victoria Image H347
Alexandra Avenue. the postcard was sent in 1906. On the right is the Temple of the Winds, designed and erected in 1901 by William Robert Guilfoyle to honour Charles Latrobe, first Governor of Victoria, who selected the site of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
State Library of Victoria Image H85.70/112
Alexandra Avenue. c. 1935.
State Library of Victoria Image H2000.222/20
Alexandra Avenue (Rose Series postcard)
State Library of Victoria Image H32492/1603
For those that are interested here is a short family tree of the Royal Family - Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901) - succeeded by Edward VII (1841 - 1910) who had married Princess Alexandra of Denmark (the namesake of Alexandra Parade). He was succeeded by George V (1865 - 1936), who had married Princess Mary of Teck. Their second son became George VI (1895 - 1952), who is the father of the present Queen (born in 1926).
*Catani’s letter to Inspector General of Public Works, Davidson - 24 July 1896, notes from the Alan Holgate Collection provided by Don Bartlett – VPRS 1139 Unit 2 - courtesy of Isaac Hermann.
