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European settlement`
Charles Grimes, surveyor general of new south wales, is believed to be the first European to explore the Yarra river -
Melbourne settlment
Melbourne was eventually settled in 1835. Land was sub-divided and the first public land sales were held shortly after. -
purchased
in 1839 John Dight purchased Melbourne block 88, which included 26 acres of land along the Yarra river for $481 at the Port Philip land sales held in Sydney -
business
dight was already in the business of flour milling and had a mill near campbell town in New South Wales called 'ceres'. -
the first steam powered flour mill
the first steam powered flour mill was constructed in Melbourne in 1841 -
Period: to
abandon flour milling
the dights family abandoned flour milling in 1864 and the property was sold to Edwin Tennery in 1878 -
the original mill
The original mill on the river bank remained unoccupied until 1888 when flour millers Gillespie, Aitken, and Scott, operating under the name of 'yarra falls roller flour mills' -
new construction
the mill race was rebuilt in much the same position using bluestone blocks from dights old mill building, and a new mill and associated buildings were constructed. -
final adjustments
the mill changed hands for a final time in 1909 before it was destroyed by fire. the mill race and ruins of the mill can still be found at Dights falls today