World FIRST's Melbourne World FIRST's Melbourne

Melbourne is not only known for many 'Australian' firsts, but also for world FIRSTS, paving the way in many areas and proving that Melbourne truly is a remarkable city...

Australian FIRSTS for Melbourne

• The new Melbourne Convention Centre has been awarded a 6 Star Green Star environmental rating, the first in the world for a convention centre. Awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) a 5 Star Green Star rating signifies Australian excellence but a 6 Star Green Star rating stands out as setting new global standards for a convention centre.



• In Melbourne Tonight, one of Australian TV's most loved shows, made world history when following Graham Kennedy's departure from the show Toni Lamond took over as host, becoming the first female TV host in the world.



• Following the campaign for the Eight Hour Day in 1856, the Victorian trade union was granted land on the corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets in 1858, occupying a temporary structure there until 1874 when the Trades' Hall and Literary Institute of Melbourne was built, the world's very first Trades Hall building.



• The National Gallery of Victoria has the world's largest stained glass ceiling, measuring 51 metres long by 15 metres wide.



• The opening of the lion enclosure at the Melbourne Zoo in 1967 was the first 'walk through' zoo enclosure of its type in the world. The lions are enclosed in a very large landscaped pit and visitors can walk through on high bridges.



• The first anthropological film made by an Australian was made by University of Melbourne biologist W Baldwin Spencer in 1901, studying the rites of Northern Territory Aboriginals. It was also a world first because it was the first documentary film to incorporate sound.



• The voting system adopted in 1856 by the Victorian Legislative Council was the first ballot vote system adopted in the world.



• In 1938 the Australian Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service was established in Melbourne. It was the first organization in the world to not give blood money to donors.



• The Tramcar Restaurant was the first of its kind in the world. It offers a three course dinner while it takes you around the sites of Melbourne and was introduced in 1983.



• The largest fully steerable telescope the world had ever seen was installed at the Melbourne Observatory in 1869.



• The first surfing reserve in the world was Bells Beach, in the early 70's.



• The first modern furniture castor was designed by Melbourne oil engineer George Shepherd in 1939.



• McDonald's in Swanston Walk was the first in the world to have an outdoor eating section called a McCafe.



• The world's first ute was designed and produced at Ford in Geelong by Lewis Brandt in 1934.



• The world's first National Jug Orchestra performed in Melbourne at the Much More ballroom in 1972. Jug players from all around Australia attended.



• The first full length feature ever made was screened at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne on 26th December 1906 and it entitled The Story of the Kelly Gang.



• In 1858 HCA Harrison and Thomas W Wills formed Australian Rules Football in Melbourne which was the first of its kind. The sport was supposedly invented to keep cricketers fit during the wintertime.



• The world's first female detective thriller writer was Mrs Fortune and she was published during 1871 in Melbourne under her nom-de-plume 'W.W'. Her book was called The Detective's Album: Recollections of an Australian Police Officer.



• The world's first frozen embryo baby was born in Melbourne in 28 March 1984 and was named Zoe Leyland.



• The Victorian Police created a world first in 1923 as they were the first force to use two way radio communication in their patrol vehicles.



• Reportedly the term call girl originated in Melbourne. In 1891 Melbourne brothels created a telephone rendezvous system.

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❊ Web Links ❊

➼ World FIRST's Melbourne 

➼ World FIRSTS for Melbourne

➼ Australian FIRSTS for Melbourne






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