Board of Land and Works

The Board of Land and Works was a government authority in Victoria, Australia. It was established by an act of parliament in 1857, with the aim of consolidating and coordinating the administration of public lands and public works. Consequently, the two positions of Commissioner of Public Works and Surveyor General or Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey were abolished.

Throughout its existence, the Board of Land and Works was responsible for matters involving public works and public lands. At various stages, it also had responsibility for railways from 1857 to 1884, for railway construction from 1892 to 1964, for main roads and bridges from 1858 until 1913, for sewage and water supply in Melbourne from 1859 to 1890, for rural water supply from c.1860 until 1910, for Aboriginal welfare from 1857 until 1860, and for local government from 1857 to 1958. Carrying out those functions was delegated to sub-departments of the board, many of which became departments of the state government after the abolition of the board in 1964.

In its first report to parliament in 1891, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways recommended that the construction of new railway lines be separated from the management of railway traffic and maintenance. As a result, the Railway Construction Branch of the Board of Land and Works was set up. The Minister for Railways (the Minister for Transport after 1934) was made, ex officio, one of the vice-presidents of the Board, which was a return to the situation which had existed prior to the transfer of the management of the railways to the Victorian Railways Commissioners in 1883-1884.

Presidents of the Board of Land and Works OrderMPParty affiliationTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes David Moore Independent 29 April 1857 10 March 1858 Charles Gavan Duffy 10 March 1858 22 March 1859 George Evans 22 March 1859 27 October 1859 James Service 27 October 1859 3 September 1860 Vincent Pyke 3 September 1860 24 September 1860 Augustus Greeves 24 September 1860 26 November 1860 John Henry Brooke 26 November 1860 14 November 1861 Charles Gavan Duffy (Australian politician) 14 November 1861 27 June 1863 Richard Heales 27 June 1863 19 June 1864 James M Grant 5 September 1864 6 May 1868 Duncan Gillies 6 May 1868 11 July 1868 James M Grant 11 July 1868 20 September 1869 James McKean 20 September 1869 9 April 1870 John A Macpherson 9 April 1870 19 June 1871 James M Grant MLC 19 June 1871 10 June 1872 James Casey 19 June 1872 7 August 1875 Francis Longmore 7 August 1875 20 October 1875 Duncan Gillies 20 October 1875 21 May 1877 Francis Longmore 21 May 1877 5 March 1880 John Gavan Duffy 5 March 1880 3 August 1880 Richard Richardson 3 August 1880 9 July 1881 David Gaunson 9 July 1881 2 August 1881 Walter Madden 19 August 1881 8 March 1883 Albert Tucker 8 March 1883 18 February 1886 John Dow 18 February 1886 5 November 1890 Allan McLean 5 November 1890 23 January 1893 John McIntyre 23 January 1893 27 September 1894 Robert Best 27 September 1894 5 December 1899 James McColl 5 December 1899 19 November 1900 Daniel Joseph Duggan 19 November 1900 10 June 1902 Malcolm McKenzie Reform 10 June 1902 28 January 1903 John William Taverner 6 February 1903 16 February 1904 John Murray 16 February 1904 15 August 1906 John Mackey 15 August 1906 31 October 1908 Thomas Hunt 31 October 1908 8 January 1909 Hugh McKenzie Commonwealth Liberal 8 January 1909 9 December 1913 William Plain Labor 9 December 1913 22 December 1913 Harry Lawson Commonwealth Liberal 22 December 1913 9 November 1915 William Hutchinson 9 November 1915 29 November 1917 Frank Clarke MLC Nationalist 29 November 1917 21 October 1919 Harry Lawson 21 October 1919 4 November 1920 David Oman 4 November 1920 7 September 1923 John Allan 7 September 1923 19 March 1924 David Oman 19 March 1924 18 July 1924 Henry Bailey Labor 18 July 1924 18 November 1924 Alfred Downward Country 18 November 1924 20 May 1927 Henry Bailey Labor 20 May 1927 22 November 1928 Henry Angus Nationalist 22 November 1928 12 December 1929 Henry Bailey Labor 12 December 1929 19 May 1932 Albert Dunstan United Australia Party 19 May 1932 20 March 1935 Thomas Maltby 20 March 1935 2 April 1935 Albert Lind United Country 2 April 1935 1 January 1942 George Tuckett MLC 8 January 1942 14 September 1943 Daniel McNamara MLC Labor 14 September 1943 18 September 1943 Albert Lind United Country 18 September 1943 2 October 1945 Bill Galvin Labor 21 November 1945 20 November 1947 John McDonald Country 20 November 1947 3 December 1948 Thomas Hollway Liberal 3 December 1948 8 December 1948 Rutherford Guthrie 8 December 1948 19 June 1950 William Leggatt 19 June 1950 27 June 1950 Albert Lind Country 27 June 1950 28 October 1952 John Hipworth Electoral Reform League 28 October 1952 31 October 1952 Albert Lind Country31 October 195217 December 1952 Robert Holt Labor 17 December 1952 15 December 1953 Joseph Smith 22 December 1953 7 June 1955 Henry Bolte Liberal Country Party 7 June 1955 8 June 1955 Keith Turnbull 8 June 1955 27 June 1964

Vice-Presidents of the Board of Land and Works

Note: Position may be held concurrently with other MPs. OrderMPParty affiliationTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes John Charles King Independent 27 October 1859 25 November 1859 James Francis 25 November 1859 3 September 1860 John Bailey 3 September 1860 2 October 1860 Vincent Pyke 2 October 1860 26 November 1860 James Johnston 26 November 1860 20 February 1861 James M Grant 20 February 1861 14 November 1861 James Johnston 14 November 1861 27 June 1863 Matthew Hervey MLC 27 June 1863 22 July 1865 James M Grant 27 June 1863 5 September 1864 Henry Miller MLC 18 July 1866 16 January 1867 William Vale 18 July 1866 6 May 1868 John MacGregor 21 January 1867 4 March 1867 James Sullivan 4 March 1867 6 May 1868 Michael O'Grady 6 May 1868 11 July 1868 George Kerferd 8 May 1868 11 July 1868 George Higinbotham 11 July 1868 25 May 1869 Charles Jones 3 August 1868 9 March 1869 James Sullivan 1 February 1869 20 September 1869 William Bates 9 April 1870 12 April 1870 Michael O'Grady 19 June 1871 10 June 1872 Francis Longmore 19 June 1871 10 June 1872 Duncan Gillies 10 June 1872 7 August 1875 Alexander Fraser MLC 14 June 1872 4 May 1874 Robert Stirling Hore Anderson MLC 4 May 1874 7 August 1875 John Woods 23 August 1875 20 October 1875 James Patterson Joseph Jones 20 October 1875 21 May 1877 James Patterson 28 May 1877 5 March 1880 John Woods 11 June 1877 5 March 1880 Duncan Gillies 16 March 1880 3 August 1880 Thomas Bent George D Langridge 12 August 1880 9 July 1881 James Patterson Thomas Bent 9 July 1881 8 March 1883 Charles Young 19 August 1881 8 March 1883 Duncan Gillies 12 March 1883 18 February 1886 Alfred Deakin John Nimmo 23 February 1886 1 June 1889 David Davies 1 June 1889 17 June 1889 James Patterson 17 June 1889 2 September 1890 William Anderson 2 September 1890 5 November 1890 James Wheeler 26 March 1891 22 April 1891 Alfred Richard Outtrim 28 April 1891 23 January 1893 George Graham 16 February 189223 January 1893 Richard Baker 23 January 1893 27 September 1894 William Webb Frederick Thomas Sargood MLC 27 September 1894 20 December 1894 John William Taverner 27 September 1894 5 December 1899 George Turner 20 December 1894 13 February 1895 William McCulloch MLC 13 February 1895 5 December 1899 Alfred Richard Outtrim 5 December 1899 19 November 1900 George Graham Donald Melville MLC William McCulloch MLC 19 November 1900 12 February 1901 William Trenwith 19 November 1900 10 June 1902 William McCulloch MLC 12 February 1901 10 June 1902 Robert McGregor Thomas Bent Reform 10 June 1902 21 July 1903 John William Taverner 10 June 1902 6 February 1903 Arthur Sachse MLC 24 June 1902 16 February 1904 Thomas Bent 16 February 1904 8 January 1909 Arthur Sachse MLC 16 February 1904 31 October 1908 Ewen Hugh Cameron Donald McLeod 16 February 1904 8 January 1909 John Bowser 31 October 1908 8 January 1909 Duncan McBryde MLC Peter McBride Commonwealth Liberal 8 January 1909 31 May 1910 Alfred Billson 8 January 1909 18 May 1912 William Baillieu MLC 8 January 1909 15 June 1909 James Cameron 15 June 1909 25 October 1909 William Baillieu MLC 25 October 1909 14 February 1911 Peter McBride 31 May 1910 18 May 1912 William Watt 31 May 1910 30 November 1910 William Edgar MLC 14 February 1911 18 May 1912 Alfred Billson 18 May 1912 9 December 1913 Peter McBride 18 May 1912 19 February 1913 William Edgar MLC 18 May 1912 21 June 1913 Alexander Peacock 19 February 1913 9 December 1913 Frederick Hagelthorn MLC 21 June 1913 9 December 1913 Alfred Richard Outtrim Labor 9 December 1913 22 December 1913 John Billson Adam McLellan MLC Frederick Hagelthorn MLC Commonwealth Liberal 22 December 1913 18 June 1914 Donald Mackinnon James Drysdale Brown MLC Frederick Hagelthorn MLC 18 June 1914 29 November 1917 James Drysdale Brown MLC Donald Mackinnon 18 June 1914 9 November 1915 Thomas Livingston 9 November 1915 29 November 1917 Hugh McKenzie Agar Wynne Nationalist 29 November 1917 21 March 1918 Alfred Downward John McWhae MLC William Hutchinson 21 March 1918 1 November 1920 Samuel Barnes 21 March 1918 7 September 1923 Arthur Robinson MLC 21 March 1918 21 October 1919 Frank Clarke MLC 21 October 1919 7 September 1923 Alexander Peacock 4 November 1920 19 March 1924 Francis Old 7 September 192319 March 1924 George Goudie MLC Alexander Peacock 19 March 192428 April 1924 John Gordon 19 March 1924 18 July 1924 Frederic Eggleston Henry Cohen MLC Richard Toutcher 28 April 192418 July 1924 Edmond Hogan Labor 18 July 1924 18 November 1924 John Percy Jones MLC Daniel McNamara MLC Horace Richardson MLC Country 18 November 1924 20 May 1927 Frederic Eggleston George Goudie MLC Thomas Tunnecliffe Labor 20 May 1927 22 November 1928 John Percy Jones MLCWilliam Beckett MLC Frank Groves Nationalist 22 November 1928 10 December 1929 John Pennington 22 November 1928 12 December 1929 Alfred Chandler MLC Henry Beardmore 10 December 1929 12 December 1929 John Cain Labor 12 December 1929 19 May 1932 John Percy Jones MLC 12 December 1929 26 April 1932 William Beckett MLC 12 December 1929 24 June 1931 Robert Williams MLC 24 June 1931 19 May 1932 George Goudie MLC United Australia Party 19 May 1932 20 March 1935 John Allan John Percy Jones MLC Wilfrid Kent Hughes 25 July 1934 2 April 1935 Clive Shields 20 March 19352 April 1935 John Percy Jones MLC Edmond Hogan United Country 2 April 1935 28 June 1943 George Goudie MLC 2 April 1935 14 September 1943 Herbert Hyland 27 April 1938 14 September 1943 Norman Martin 28 June 1943 14 September 1943 Frank Field Labor 14 September 1943 18 September 1943 William McKenzie Bill Barry Norman Martin United Country 18 September 1943 2 October 1945 John Lienhop MLC James Kennedy MLC United Australia Party William Cumming Liberal 2 October 1945 21 November 1945 Likely McBrien MLC Independent William Everard Liberal James Disney MLC William McKenzie Labor 21 November 1945 20 November 1947 Pat Kennelly MLC 21 November 1945 19 August 1947 Thomas Hayes 19 August 1947 20 November 1947 James Kennedy MLC Liberal 20 November 1947 8 December 1948 Wilfrid Kent Hughes 20 November 194729 October 1949 Alexander Dennett 20 November 194715 December 1949 Thomas Hollway 29 October 1949 15 December 1949 Edward Guye 15 December 1949 27 June 1950 John Hipworth Percy Byrnes MLC Country 27 June 1950 28 October 1952 Herbert Hyland George Moss John Don Electoral Reform League 28 October 1952 31 October 1952 Charles Gartside MLC Hugh MacLeod MLCPercy Byrnes MLCCountry31 October 195217 December 1952Herbert Hyland George Moss Clive Stoneham Labor 17 December 1952 7 June 1955 Samuel Merrifield Les Coleman MLC 17 December 1952 31 March 1955 Don Ferguson MLC 31 March 1955 7 June 1955 Thomas Maltby Liberal Country Party 7 June 1955 26 July 1961 Arthur Warner MLC 7 June 1955 5 September 1962 Gilbert Chandler MLC 7 June 1955 27 June 1964 Edward Meagher 26 July 1961 5 September 1962 Horace Petty 26 July 1961 27 May 1964

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