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Charles Grimes
Charles Grimes is believed to be the first European to explore the Yarra River. He led his survey party on an expedition to the Dights Falls area, reporting unfavourably on the idea of settling there. -
Melbourne Settled
Melbourne was finally settled in 1835. Land was sub-divided and the first land sales were held soon after -
John Dight
John Dight purchased 26 acres of land along the Yarra River. -
John Dight's Move
Dight was already in the business of flour milling and had a mill in NSW called "Ceres". In 1840 John Dight notified his customers that he was moving to Port Phillip, through The Sydney Herald. -
First Steam Powered Flour Mill
The first steam powered flour mill was made in Melbourne in 1841. Soon after Dight built his water powered mill. Dight used the river to power his mill: Water flowed along an inlet channel to turn a water wheel. In order to regulate flow for times when river levels were low, Dight constructed a rough sone weir. -
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Dight Abandons Flour Milling
The Dight Family's mill and land changed hands a number of times during the mid to late 1800s. The Dight Family abandoned flour milling in 1864, and then the property was sold to Edwin Trennery in 1878. Trennery subdivided the land. -
New Mill
The original mill remained unoccupied until 1888, when three flour millers constructed a new mill and associated buildings at the site. -
Melbourne Flour Milling Company
The area was developed over time and in 1891 this enterprise was sold to the Melbourne Flour Milling Company. -
The Existing Weir At Dights Falls
The existing weir at Dights Falls dates back to 1895 when a timber structure was built to provide water to the Melbourne Flour Milling Company. -
Fire
he mill changed hands for the last time before it was demolished by fire. The ruins of the mill can still be found at Dights Fall today. -
First Reconstruction Activity
The very first reconstruction occurred in 1918, when a part of the timber weir washed away in a flood. -
Another Rebuild
A breach of the weir in 1940 prompted another rebuild and the distribution of 1.5 tonnes of rocks from the edge of the weir. -
Heavy Rainfall
Another breach of the weir occurred after heavy rainfall in 1967. Most of the timber decking, wailings and rock fill had washed away or were damaged. The next year the original timber piles were secured with concrete, replacing the timber deck and resulting in the structure we see today. -
Fishway
In 1993 Melbourne Water, recognising that the weir was a barrier to fish migration, made a rock fishway to allow fish to move around the weir.
