Caulfield East Reserve Hall, End of Dudley St, Caulfield East
On this Page . . .
More than just the usual detail about one of the Shaolin Academy's training locations!
Students & Instructors at Caulfield including end of year celebrations and graduations, competitions and training in the park!
Background
The origin of the name of the City of Caulfield is not known for certain, but the name seemed to be linked with Baron Caulfield of Ireland, perhaps through John Caulfield, a pioneer of the colony. The name 'Caulfield' was in use by 1853, and the early maps always place it somewhere around the racecourse. It was not in general use for the whole area until the proclamation of the Caulfield Road District in 1857.(see below for more detail)
In 1853 the Victorian Parliament passed an Act to give authority to locally elected people to extract rates from residents in order to finance road construction. In November 1857 the first Caulfield Roads Board was elected. It had control over the roads in an area bounded by Warrigal Road, Hotham Street, Dandenong Road, North Road and Brighton Road. The proclamation of the Caulfield Roads Board tied the name 'Caulfield' to a specific area. In 1863, the Caulfield Road District became the Shire of Caulfield and was proclaimed the City of Caulfield in 1913.
History of the Area
In the mid-1800s, dirt tracks wound through the swamps and sandy heaths of the district. They were constantly damaged by farmers cart wheels, creating dangerous holes and making access difficult. A governing body was needed to ensure that roads were maintained and passable. Residents lobbied for a roads district to be proclaimed, and so was born local representation in the local community.
The City of Caulfield had its beginnings as a District Roads Board in 1857; while the City of Moorabbin grew from a roads board established in 1862. For the first 25 years of Caulfield’s municipal life, board/shire members met in "Mood Kee", the house of Cr Harold Bennington. He was paid 10 pounds a year to cover the cost of candles, fuel and the room. The annual general meeting was held in a tent in the backyard.
