History of Devonport

  • Early explorers and settlers tended to bypass the Mersey River as it was blocked by a sandbar and the banks were heavily timbered.
  • 1826 - the first close investigations of the Mersey River were made by the advance party of Van Diemen's Land company and on 7th July, the river officially received it's name.
  • 1835 - the Frogmore settlement (now known as Latrobe) became the focus of life in this district as vessels small enough to cross the sandbar could sail up the river to this point and there was also plenty of good land along the Mersey flats.
  • 1851 - the first settler, Charles Oldaker, established himself beside the Mersey estuary in the eastern shore and coal was discovered.
  • 1851 - the discovery of coal came at a crucial time for the development of the Mersey, attracting both population and capital.  The extra shipping activity attracted by the coal activity also enabled an easier escape route for convicts wishing to escape from Victoria.  The coal mines did not turn the Mersey into a coalfield, however they did shape the estuary as the port to serve the region.
  • Mid 1850's - the level of activity in the region gave rise to the twin settlements of Formby and Torquay.  Timber became the most profitable industry in the forests of the Mersey.
  • 1854 - a sawmill was established at Torquay, just below the site of the Victoria Bridge, and to serve this mill and its settlement, the first wharf was constructed.
  • 1854-1855 - these were crucial years in the formation of the two tiny villages which were to become Devonport.
  • 1855 - John Drake and William Holyman set up shipyards at Torquay giving it a solid basis for future growth.
  • 1856 - recognition of the Mersey as the hub of the Devon region came with the building of the first roads.
  • 1860 - both Torquay and Formby were quite well established.  Torquay was the clear leader with a police post, magistrate, at least three hotels, shipyards and stores.  By comparison Formby was a straggling little community.
  • 1860-1870 - the road network continued to extend.  A light bridge was constructed over the Mersey at Latrobe and others spanned the Don, Leven and Forth Rivers.
  • 1870-1880 - with the shipping industry increasing, several attempts to deepen the sandbar occurred, however it wasn't until 1890 that real progress was made, with the deepening of the entrance 24 feet.
  • 1880's - the first regular steamer services operating directly between the Mersey and Melbourne began.
  • 1885 - saw the extension of the railway from Deloraine to Formby.
  • 1887 - Formby's first newspaper, The North West Post, began circulation and continued until 1916 when it was amalgamated with The Advocate.
  • 1889 - the major landmark of the port, the Bluff lighthouse, was completed.
  • 1890's-early 1900's - the railway made a significant difference to Formby.  It combined a railhead and port facilities in the one place.  A wharf was created on the west bank close to the railway, and railway sidings, goods yard and warehouses were sited in the main wharf area.  The railway brought a building boom to Formby, which now surged ahead of Torquay in size and importance.
  • 1890 - a public vote united Torquay and Formby into one estuary town - Devonport.
  • 1901 - the two parts of the Devonport were joined when the first Victoria Bridge opened.
  • 1903 - electricity came to Devonport via a steam driven lighting plant.
  • 1908 - the Devonport Municipality began functioning, covering the region between the Mersey and Forth Rivers.
  • 1916 - the limestone deposits of the Melrose-Eugenana region were quarried for the smelters of BHP. The old Don Railway was rebuilt by the government to bring the limestone from Melrose to the Devonport wharves.
  • 1924 - saw the collapse of the Victoria Bridge as a result of continuous boring by toledo worms. Fortunately there were no casualties and the bridge was partly rebuilt and strengthened.
  • 1926 - saw the establishment of one of the largest industrial complexes in the North West, the Goliath-Portland Cement Company at Railton.
  • 1930's - with the introduction of the motor car, street sealing pushed ahead, main roads were improved and goods were moved faster.
  • 1938-1940 - further port improvements were undertaken by the Netherlands Harbourworks Company.
  • 1950's - were years of prosperity and expansion. Many secondary industries moved to Devonport, and with them transport and service industries, businesses and a steadily increasing population.
  • 1952 - the aerodrome at Pardoe was opened and regular airline services between Devonport and Melbourne commenced.
  • 1959 - saw the installation of the Roll On Roll Off (RORO) Terminal at East Devonport, for the passenger/car ferry service operated by the Princess of Tasmania.
  • 1950's - 1970's - the town's residential area spread west across the ridge into the Don Valley, north along the heights of Coles Beach and south on both sides of the river.  During these years Devonport was one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia.
  • 1973 - a new concrete bridge replaced the old, battered Victoria Bridge, carrying the Bass Highway past Devonport.
  • 1981 - Devonport is officially recognised as a City at a ceremony officiated by H.R.H Prince Charles on 21st April.
  • 1980's - present day - the city has continued to prosper, with the port to this day still the lifeblood of the city as it is fed by agricultural and manufacturing industries.