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Wilbraham LiardetPrint Page 
The monument commemorates Wilbraham Liardet who was the first European settler of Port Melbourne. It was erected as a bicentennial project to commemorate the nation's bicentenary in 1988.
The memorial was constructed from four bluestone blocks which formed part of the gates of the sugar mill on the corner of Beach Street and Post Office Place.
Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn Liardet (1799 – 1878), was an Australian hotelier, water-colour artist and historian, who was responsible for the early development of Port Melbourne. Liardet arrived with his wife Caroline and nine children in 1839 and erected a tent on the beach opposite what is now Bay Street. He opened the Brighton Pier Hotel in 1840 and soon had a passenger coach service to Melbourne. Liardet had possessed a competence when he arrived but was a poor man of business. By December 1841 he had transferred his hotel licence to his son Frank and in 1845 was insolvent. Nevertheless the family enjoyed their life by the sea where Wilbraham was a leading net fisherman and entertained the growing community by playing the guitar and flute and singing to them. Liardet later painted early scenes of Melbourne.
Location
| Address: | Beach Street, Port Melbourne, 3207 |
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| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.842654 Long: 144.936794 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Settlement |
| Designer: | Peter Christoff |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 1988 |
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The Liardet Memorial
Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn Liardet was acknowledged as the first European settler and founder of Port Melbourne, (Sandridge) arriving in 1839 with his family.
The family camped on what was known as Liardet`s Beach, later to become Sandridge, later still, Port Melbourne.
They began a ferry service with a couple of boats and waggons, ferrying people to and from ships in the Bay and collecting and delivering mail.Their interests also included the building of Liardet`s Pier Hotel in Beach Street.
Wilbraham specialised in painting water colours, was involved in numerous activities in the colony, and supported the development of local government.
Liardet died in New Zealand in 1878
Plaque :
Australia
1788 - 1988
Dedicated to Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn Liardet
1799 - 1878.
A pioneer of Port Melbourne.
An Australian Bicentennial Project to commemorate the nation's Bicentenary in 1988
Plaque :
Australia
1788 - 1988
An Australian Bicentennial Project with financial assistance from the Commonwealth Government and the City of Port Melbourne
Erected by the City of Port Melbourne the Bicentennial Community Committee and the Historical Society
