West Melbourne in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — Oceania

Separation Monument

— Flagstaff Gardens —

Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 16, 2026

1. Separation Monument Marker

Inscription. Separation Monument was erected to commemorate the announcement of the proclamation in the Flagstaff Gardens on 11th November 1850 that the Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland had granted separate government to Victoria from the Colony of New South Wales.

Flagstaff Gardens derived their name from a flagstaff which was created on 13th September 1840 as a signaling station to inform the settlers of the arrival and departure of ships on Port Phillip Bay. The time of day was also indicated by hoisting a black ball up the flagstaff and dropping it at noon.

Topics. This historical marker and monument is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Political Subdivisions • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is November 11, 1850.

Location. 37° 48.639′ S, 144° 57.224′ E. Marker is in West Melbourne, Victoria, in Melbourne. It can be reached from King Street (Victoria Route 60) 0.1 kilometers east of Batman Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 309-311 William Street, West Melbourne VIC 3003, Australia. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Oceania,

in Australasia,

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in the Pacific Ocean,

in South Pacific,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Victoria Separation Monument Tablet (a few steps from this marker); St. James Old Cathedral (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); St. James' Old Cathedral - Foundation Stone (about 120 meters away); Flagstaff Gardens - The Hill (about 180 meters away); Flagstaff Gardens - Mapping 170 Years of Change (about 210 meters away); Federal Coffee Palace (about 210 meters away); The Flagstaff Gardens (about 210 meters away); Melbourne (Bird's Eye View) 1882 (about 210 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Melbourne.

Also see . . . The Separation of Victoria – A Brief History. Government House of Victoria<blockquote>In November 1850, residents of the Port Phillip District received the news that Queen Victoria had assented to an Act to separate the District from New South Wales, to become the Colony of Victoria.

This separation

Separation Monument in Flagstaff Gardens image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 16, 2026

2. Separation Monument in Flagstaff Gardens

was the result of a decade of advocacy and was greeted with days of jubilant celebrations across Melbourne.

Paving the way for the colony of Victoria to be formally established, the Act also enabled the appointment of Victoria’s first Lieutenant-Governor the following year.

A Case for Separation

A Separation Association was first formed in the Port Phillip District in 1840 to address perceived inequity in the allocation of public infrastructure funding to Sydney compared to the local area.

Participants in a Separation meeting made the decision to petition the British Government to grant a free representative government. (Submitted on September 1, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.