, , AUSTRALASIA ILLUSTRATED. 



Botanic Gardens, where it now stands. It bears the following inscription: "This monu- 

 ment was erected by the inhabitants of the Hume River District in honour of Hamilton 

 Hume, Esq., to commemorate his discovery of this river on the i ;th of November, 

 1824." The squatters followed Hume's track, and gradually a small settlement was 

 formed; but it was not until Victoria had made some progress that a punt was placed 

 on the Murray. Then followed the blacksmith's shop, the public-house, the store; and a 

 few small patches were placed under crop. The discovery of gold on the Ovens River 

 in Victoria materially assisted Albury, as did the services of several Germans, who set 

 to work most industriously to cultivate the Murray Valley soil. The railway from 

 Melbourne to the southern bank, now known as Wodonga, was opened in November, 

 i&7^; but it was not until eight years after that the Southern Line from Sydney reached 

 this part of the border. Two years later the colonies were joined by an iron link the 

 massive railway bridge, which crosses the Murray at Albury. There was great rejoicing 

 over the event, which was celebrated by a grand demonstration, at which were 

 present the Governors of both colonies and a large assemblage of notabilities from 

 Sydney and Melbourne. 



The capital of the southern colony had thus in the matter of railway communication 

 with Albury, a long start of Sydney; indeed, prior to 1883, the Murray Valley was 

 considered more Victorian than otherwise. The distance to Melbourne, being less than 

 one hundred and ninety miles, naturally caused the greater part of the trade to gravi- 

 tate southwards, and all business connections were with the southern port. Nor were 

 these much disturbed by the opening of the Sydney line, the distance nearly three 

 hundred and ninety miles to Port Jackson proving a handicap on the latter city's 

 trade. But cheap rates and special concessions on the part of the railway authorities 

 had the effect of turning the attention of the borderers to the northern capital. The 

 Victorian tariff, too, being inimical to the interests of the Murray agriculturists, lost 

 Melbourne many friends. 



Each side of the River has its customs house, with active officers, who are careful 

 that no smuggling takes place on the dividing line. The Railway Station and its 

 numerous buildings were constructed regardless of cost, and occupy an area over three- 

 quarters of a mile in length and nine chains in width, the main building extending 

 in one direction over three hundred feet. The New South Wales trains run through 

 to Wodonga ; Victoria returns the compliment by sending her trains to Albury, the 

 break of gauge necessitating a change of carriage and a transfer of goods. 



Albury is a picturesque place, the red brick buildings having an effective background 

 in the purplish green hills which make a circle round the town. The Post and Tele- 

 graph Offices are large handsome buildings, and the Hospital is considered one of the 

 best institutions in the colony. Sixty thousand gallons of wine and a thousand tons of 

 wheat are produced annually, and of the minor industries tobacco-culture takes the lead. 

 An attempt was made to promote sericulture, but after a protracted and careful trial a 

 disease, which proved fatal to the silk-worms, caused the abandonment of the industry. 

 About a million head of stock are pastured in the district, and the Agricultural Society 

 is justly considered one of the most important and most useful institutions in New 

 South Wales, its annual show held in 1886 being the best in the colony for that year. 



