Book excerpt: Melbourne has often been considered the most English of Australia's captialities, yet it was the only one to be founded by a native - born Australian.n 1835, John Bateman, the son of a convict, sailed for Port Phillip Bay andp the River Yarra. He later wrote in his diary: "This will be the place for village."oday, with a population of more than three million, it isustralia's second largest city. The city is a mix of nineteenth centuryrchitecture, glass towers and innovative, modern buildings framed byarklands, magnificent gardens and the yellow beaches of Port Phillip Bay.his fascinating book gives an insightnto how the city has developed from the Victorian era and why it isonsidered to be one of the most liveable cities in the world.