Take the heritage walk

View the Burnely Street Heritage Walk on a map.  

The area now known as Burnley (bounded by Burnley Street, Park Grove, and the Yarra River) was divided into three long narrow allotments which fronted Swan Street and ran down to the Yarra River and were reserved for Police purposes. The remaining area (within the loop in the Yarra River) was reserved as a Survey Paddock in 1838.

Quarrying in 1840s and 1850s

The land along the Yarra River was used for quarrying in the 1840s and 1850s. A survey drawing of Richmond in 1855 shows that little development occurred in Burnley until the 1860s.

Yarra Pollution Act of 1855

Unemployment was a large problem for Richmond in the 1860s, which resulted in the Yarra Pollution Act of 1855 (which forbade industry from discharging waste into the river) being repealed, which resulted in Cremorne and Burnley being seen as attractive places to establish manufacturing. This resulted in this area being transformed into an industrial area in the 1870s.

Industrial area

By 1865 a quarry, stone crushing mill, fellmongery (building used to prepare animal skins prior to leather making) and abattoir had been established in the area bounded by Burnley Street, Coppin Street, the railway reserve and the Yarra River.

Police Reserve subdivision

During the 1860s and 1870s the Police Reserve was subdivided by the State Government, creating Madden Grove, Barkly Avenue, Stawell and Gibdon Streets. By 1888 these blocks were further subdivided creating Parkville and Crimea streets.

This walk is 5 kilometres in length and will take approximately 2 hours to complete.