ST (Samuel Thomas) Gill, Doing the Block, Gt Collins St, 1880, pencil, watercolour and white gouache, H332

By the 1880s, Collins Street had become firmly established as the most fashionable street in town. Promenading along Collins Street between Swanston and Elizabeth Streets, or 'Doing the Block', was a favourite pastime of the growing wealthy and leisured class. Inspired by Parisian boulevards, an extensive elm-planting program was implemented in 1875, and in 1881 a woodblock pavement was installed at the intersection with Swanston Street.

ST Gill, Cremorne Gardens from south side of Yarra nr Col-Andersons, 1855, pen, ink, pencil, Chinese white on pink paper, H82.216

This drawing by ST Gill presents an early view of the Cremorne Gardens, Victoria's first pleasure garden, established by James Ellis. Ellis had previously managed the original Cremorne Gardens, in Chelsea, London, hosting concerts, fireworks displays, balloon ascents, dancing and other amusements. In 1853, he imitated the joys of Chelsea by opening the Cremorne Gardens on the banks of the Yarra River.

Frederick William Woodhouse Junior, Carbine, 1889, oil on canvas, gift of Mr Sam Fulbrook, 1986, H86 111

Champion New Zealand–born racehorse Carbine had 33 wins from 43 starts, 15 in succession by 1889. He achieved legendary status with his Melbourne Cup win in 1890, winning the race in the record time of three minutes 28 seconds. He was retired to stud in 1891, and sold to the Duke of Portland in England in 1895. More than half of the Melbourne Cup winners since 1914 are descended from Carbine, including Phar Lap and Makybe Diva.

Troedel & Co, lithographers, The Sandringham Estate, Picnic Point Brighton, Melbourne, 1886, Batten & Percy Collection, MAPEF 912.945 B32‎

Named after a royal seaside residence in Norfolk, England, Sandringham was initially a small township named Gipsy Village, defined by a church, school, post office and shop. The area evolved into a popular 'beach resort' following the land boom, with auctions at Picnic Point and Sandringham estates. The introduction of a railway line drew more residents to an area abuzz with a coffee palace, sea bath and pier.

Unknown photographer, Laying of cable tram tracks in Elizabeth Street, looking towards Flinders Street Station, c 1890, H38835

The streets of Marvellous Melbourne buzzed with the sounds of underground cables and the ringing of bells, as cable trams ferried people from one place to another. The first cable tram was launched in November 1885, and by 1891 the network encompassed 17 routes with a combined length of 73 kilometres of double track. Melbourne’s system was the largest cable tram network in the world operated by a single company.

William Pitt, Princess Theatre, 1885–86, watercolour with gouache, presented by the Friends of La Trobe Library, 1968, H31053

Designed by the architect William Pitt, the Princess Theatre reflected contemporary French influences and was in keeping with the great theatres of Europe. The prestigious theatre debuted on 18 December 1886 with a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The performance was warmly received and the audience also gave a rousing reception to William Pitt, who appeared on stage during the interval.

Alexander Goodall, Diary, 1896, manuscript, gift of Mrs Milne, 1985, MS 12075

Alexander Goodall's richly illustrated diaries, kept from the age of 17, provide an entertaining window into a young man’s daily life in the 1890s. Goodall was a passionate supporter of the Geelong Football Club. In August 1895 he wrote in his diary: 'Heavy rain and hail, very cold. Lively football match at Kardinia Park. Mud and slush no object!' Of a match in August 1897 he commented: 'Geelong v Essendon on the ground. Enormous crowd. Blue & White defeated! Intense grief!!!'

Davies & Co, photographers, Christie, Head of CIB (Criminal Investigation Bureau), c 1883, albumen silver carte-de-visite, gift of Mr John Etkins, 2005, H2005.37/152

John Mitchell Christie (1845–1927) was one of Melbourne's finest detectives, famed for his creative disguises and arrests of a young city's criminal class. He was tasked with shadowing the Duke of Edinburgh in 1869 and the Duke of York in 1901 on their visits to Australia and New Zealand. The Library holds Christie's personal case files relating to his work in Victoria between 1866 and his retirement in 1910.

AE Ferris, artist and lithographer, Victorian Footballers 1884, coloured chalk lithograph, Gift of Troedel & Cooper, 1968, H2000.212/16

The Melbourne Football Club (established in 1858) and the Geelong Football Club (1859) are the league's two oldest clubs. Clubs rapidly formed throughout Victoria and included: South Yarra (1860), Richmond (1860), Carlton (1864), Albert Park (1864, later to become South Melbourne), Royal Park (1864), University and Warehouseman's Clubs (1866), Hotham (1869, now North Melbourne), Essendon (1873), St Kilda (1873), Fitzroy (1882), Footscray (1883) and Collingwood (1892, after merging with Britannia).

Hilda Florence Beyer in fancy dress as a postcard by Talma, c 1909, H84.233/17

Francis Beyer was a renowned rollerskater and rink proprietor, whose daughters Hilda Florence and Ruby, known as the Misses Beyer, became professional 'lady skaters'. The sisters competed in roller polo matches and demonstrated their fancy skating manoeuvres to captivated spectators in rinks around Australia.

May Stewart, Diary, 1906, Manuscript, MS 12995

Little is known of May Stewart beyond the contents of her diary from 1906, when it's thought she was an 18-year-old boarder in the home of a Mrs Hadlow. Her diary details how she spent her leisure time, including domestic activities such as knitting, crocheting, writing letters and reading. However, she was more often out on the town, attending the theatre or exhibitions, shopping or promenading with friends, or 'mashing' young men.