Document information

Physical location:

No. 843, unit 822, VPRS 3181 Town Clerk's files, VA 511 Melbourne, Public Record Office, Victoria. 59.09.19

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Richard Eades, 1859-09-19. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1850-9/1859/59-09-19-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne bot. & zool. Gardens,
19 September 59.
Sir
I have the honor of bringing under your favorable consideration the desirability of rendering the right bank of the Yarra between the Pund-road
1
Punt Road.
and the botanic Garden passable for carriages, there existing just beyond the Yarra foot-bridge an inlet of about six feet width, whilst the ground near to it is not only frequently inundated but also so extreenly boggy, that in the attempt of crossing this place vehicles at various times were extricated only with the utmost difficulty.
Being particularly interested in the improvement of this part of the Yarra-road, in order to facilitate the access of Carriages from Richmond to these gardens, I would gladly bear part of the expense of this work, if the Gentlemen of the Park Committee deemed its execution advisable.
According to a tender enclosed, the work could be carried out, leaving egress and ingress of the water of the lagoon, for the sum of £36.15.–.
I have the honor to be
Sir
your most obedient & humble servant
Ferd. Mueller.
Alderman Dr Eades
&c&c&c
Chairman of Parklands Committee.
John Fitz Gibbon will agree to form a roadway across the inlet to Lagoon alongside the Foot Bridge leading to the botanic Gardens. — The said Roadway to be 66 feet long, 12 feet wide at top and of such slope as the earth in falling may itself form, and to form in the middle of the said Roadway a culvert, 4 feet wide. The sides of the culvert to be 6 feet high and 2 feet in thickness built of rubble work, and to be covered with 3 inch red gum planking and the said culvert to be paved in the bottom with rubble work 18 inches thick.
The depth of the Embankment at the deepest part to be 4 feet and to be carried out level from thence at each side till it strikes the bank of the river on each side of the culvert.
If the earth for forming the embankment &c can be excavated at the nearest point; the said John Fitz Gibbon will do all the work and find all the materials according to the above specification for the sum of £36.15.–.
2
M's letter was read at the Public Works Committee on 28 September 1859: 'Letter read from Doctor Mueller asking the corporation to bear one half of the cost of rendering the right bank of the Yarra between the Punt Road and Botanical Gardens footbridge passable for carriages at an estimated cost of £36.15/'. The chairman of the committee, Alderman Hayward, was instructed to report to the City Council: 'recommending the Council to bear one moiety of the cost; viz £18.7.6' (Unit 4, p. 2, VPRS 4037, PROV).