Melbourne Day Committee

We produce events and activities celebrating August 30 as the birthday of our city — founded in 1835. We work with businesses, authorities, community groups, indigenous organisations and representatives, and tourism industry partners to raise awareness of Melbourne's story, celebrate its anniversaries and showcase everything that's great about our city. Former Victorian Premier Sir Rupert Hamer established the not-for-profit committee to help correct the record about Melbourne's founding, engage the community and foster events to mark annually the day Melbourne started. Who founded Melbourne? Melbourne was founded by settlers who came from Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) aboard the schooner "Enterprize". They landed on the north bank of the Yarra River, establishing the first permanent settlement, close to the Immigration Museum at Old Customs House — on the corner of William and Flinders Streets — the place today known as Enterprize Park. This is accepted by the City of Melbourne, the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and Melbourne Day Committee. What about John Pascoe Fawkner and John Batman? Neither of them founded the city. Their names appear side by side in history, even though they were bitter rivals. Both believed they were the rightful founder of Melbourne, and they significantly shaped early Melbourne. But the founders were the passengers and crew of the "Enterprize". Shouldn't Aboriginal Australians be acknowledged as the first people? Definitely. The five groups who form the Kulin nation are acknowledged as the first people and traditional owners of the land that became Melbourne, and who lived here for tens of thousands of years before European settlement. Melbourne Day is also a time to celebrate and support our city's indigenous culture and heritage, and to remember the impact of European arrival on the people of the Kulin nation: the Wurundjeri (Woiwurrung), Boon Wurrung, Taungurong, Djajawurrung and Wathaurung.