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Albury Town Map 1859
Compiled from a map produced at the NSW Surveyor General’s Office in February 1859, this series of 12 maps shows Albury town streets and property owners of 1859.
Complete map: 1859 Albury street plan
Easier to read compilation: 1859 Albury Town Maps
Albury Town Hall 1908-2008
A video was produced in 2008 for the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Albury Town Hall, Dean St Albury. The building is now part of the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA). The video traces the construction, architecture and importance of the building to Albury.
Click on the link:
Albury Citizens of the Year
Albury City has been honouring a “Citizen of the Year” since 1981. Award recipients have been recognised and rewarded for their selfless dedication, time and energy for the benefit of our city.
Download the list of recipients:
Albury Citizens of the Year
Albury Young Citizens of the Year
Other Awards
Hume Dam Construction
In 1919 Australia’s then Governor-General, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, turned the first sod to construct the Hume Dam. The Dam was not officially opened until 1936.
In 2001, then president of A&DHS, Gerry Curtis, produced and narrated a PowerPoint presentation outlining the planning and construction of the dam, the machines used and the people involved.
The presentation has been restored and can be viewed on YouTube:
For more information go to Hume Dam
Albury Art Deco Walking Tour
The following walking notes are based on the work of Jan Hunter, long term Albury resident and author of ‘Building the Neighborhood.’
The notes were developed for a bus tour, an extension of the highly successful Art Deco exhibition in 2010 at Albury LibraryMuseum, held in conjunction with the Albury & District Historical Society’s History Week, 2011 and adapted for a walking tour by the Border Bushwalking Club in 2020.
Download the notes Albury Art Deco Street Walk Notes
Download the map Albury Art Deco Street Walk Map
Albury CBD Historic Building Walking Tour
The tour, which is available from a free mobile app or printed brochure, showcases 21 sites spread over 13 locations along Smollett and Dean Streets. The tour is the ideal way to experience Albury’s beautiful CBD in the context of our rich, pioneering history. Included on the tour are stops at the Albury Railway Station, Botanic Gardens, Beehive Buildings and the former Waterstreet’s Hotel. Silver bollards mark the stopping points along the tour, and a brief description of each individual landmark is provided. When you approach each site, you will be prompted to listen to audio and scroll through a selection of historic photographs.
The printed brochure (including a CBD map and landmark descriptions) is available from the Albury Visitor Information Centre. Alternatively you can download the mobile app from:
The Uiver Emergency
On October 24 of 2014 it was 80 years since the Uiver emergency saw the people of Albury rallying to the assistance of the Dutch airplane competing in the London to Melbourne air race. You can read Doug Royal’s account of the emergency by clicking on the pdf document The Uiver at Albury
There is still much to be done to restore the Douglas DC2 — 990,187 rivets will be required. You can help by donating a rivet. Read how you can do that as told on ABC News
There is information about the restoration project and how you can contribute at the Uiver Memorial’s own website ̶ Uiver Memorial DC2 restoration project
Listen to the ABC Hindsight account at Hindsight/The Uiver Emergency. Listen also to the recollections of Albury locals who witnessed the landing and shared their memories of the event with ABC radio on the 75th anniversary of the landing by clicking on the Play icons below:
Address from Mayor Cleaver Bunton to Albury, Surrey, England, 1947
Mayor Cleaver Bunton recorded a message from the people of Albury, Australia to the people of Albury, Surrey, England on the occasion of Albury, Australia being declared a city in 1947. You can click on the play icon to listen to the Mp3 file (a bit less than 8 minutes):
Recommended reading/Book List
There are many good publications related to Albury and District history and these are available at AlburyCity LibraryMuseum in Kiewa Street Albury.
Click here to download the Book List & Society Papers
Drownings in the Albury District
A list of drownings in the Murray River and Hume Weir in the Albury district since the middle of the nineteenth century. Because of gaps in records, there are sure to be omissions from the list. Anyone who can add to it should contact the Society – go to our Contact Us page.
Download the pdf file Drownings in Albury and district
Teachers guide to Block 19 at Bonegilla
Reading Block 19 Bonegilla – A guide for teachers who are planning and conducting secondary school visits to the Bonegilla Migrant Experience Heritage Park (by Bruce Pennay).
Reading Block 19, Bonegilla
Albury & District Timeline
To download, click here: Albury Timeline. For a more comprehensive timeline, click on Comprehensive Albury Timeline
Cheers! – The Hidden History of Albury’s Vineyards
A 15 minute film by award winning film maker and A&DHS member Jacqui Schulz. The Albury region was the major wine producing district of Australia. This video outlines the importance of the wine industry to the early development of Albury & district. Click on the link:
Emporium – The Rise of the Department Store
This short film from Nomadfilms explores the timeless glamour of Albury’s iconic SM Abikhair’s department store. An Albury LibraryMuseum exhibition brought to life the emergence of department stores in response to a rise in consumer wealth, the evolution of shopping as a pastime and the changing role of women from homemaker to shopper and glamorous housewife.
Read The Ongoing Legacy of SM Abikhair and Family, Albury by Jan Hunter.
Click on the link:
BBC – Rabbits in the Albury Region
BBC World Service ‘Witness’ program contacted A&DHS for assistance compiling a program on Australia’s rabbit plague of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Albury & District Historical Society member and local farmer, Bill McDonald of Mullengandra (north of Albury) was contacted and we can listen to the report compiled by BBC reporter Alex Last. Bill talks about the rabbit plague and measures tried to keep numbers under control, including the introduction of the myxomatosis virus. Listen to the program by clicking on the Play icon below: