Pre – 1835 à Land on the Sunshine side of the Maribyrnong River occupied by two Aboriginal tribes: the Bunurong and the Woiworung (sometimes referred to as Wurundjeri)

1835 – c.1847 à Land around the Maribyrnong River occupied by European settlers: graziers, quarrymen and others in small scale, associated industries.

 c.1847 – 1852 à Raleigh’s Boiling Down Establishment: one of the earliest industries in the Port Phillip District and the beginning of noxious trades on the river. 

1852 – 1855 à Possibly the Victoria Works of Robertson, Martine and Smith who built the first steam locomotive in Australia.

1868 – 1888 à Melbourne Meat Preserving Company used a new vacuum process to can meat for export. This factory pioneered such work on a large scale and its exports to Europe were important to the Australian economy during the 1870’s. The site’s bluestone buildings date from this era

1880 – 1882 à Australian Frozen Meat Export Company (first of its kind in Australia used the facilities here for experimental shipments to the U.K 

1889 – 1910 à Maribyrnong Quarrying Company operated the old bluestone quarry above the site. 

 1911 – 1978 à Hume Pipe Company works producing reinforced concrete piped by the application of centrifugal force. Invented in Adelaide in 1910, this was an innovative new process of international significance.

1980 - _____ à Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works developing the site as an historic parkland which will reflect the significance of the site’s industrial past. Restoration of bluestone buildings for public access and use by Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West.

[Ecomuseum broadsheets 1 factory on the river – innovations in industry. A series of information sheets on the history and environment of Melbourne’s West. Copyright: Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West Inc. 1990]