Local Rates and Tolls on Main Road in 1860's

St Kilda Toll Gate 1865.

The Moorabbin District Roads Board was established in June 1862 with responsibility for constructing and maintaining roads over an area of 36 square miles where about 4500 people lived. At the first meeting of the Board, held at Jesse Morley’s, Plough and Harrow Hotel, the nine members of the board were elected for the ensuring twelve months. Their first task was to set the rate assessment to allow them to carry out their tasks.

Board member Mr Miles supported by Mr Hubbard proposed that "the rate of assesment (sic) for the ensuring year be one farthing per acre on waste land, one penny per acre on pasture, one shilling per acre on cultivated land and one shilling in the pound on the annual rental value of all other rateable property" The proposition was carried without dissent by the upwards of two hundred people present.

At a subsequent meeting on April 7, 1864 the Board confirmed the tolls to be charged after June 30 of that year at the toll gate located on what is today the corner of Cummins Road and Nepean Highway.

Every sheep, pig, lamb or goat 1/2d
every ox or head of meat cattle ld
every horse, mare, ass or mule 3d
every cart, dray, wain, waggon or other such every vehicle if drawn
by one horse or other such animal 6d
by two horses 1s
by three horses 1-6d
by four horses 2.0d
by five horses 2.6d
by six horses 3.0d
and for each additional horse 3d.

Notice

On payment of a double rate of Toll the Cattle - or vehicles on account of which such double rate of Toll is paid may pass through the Toll Bar any number of times during the day on which such payment is made without further charges.

Nepean Highway prior to construction of dual carriageway. Cummins Road joining Nepean Highway at bottom of photograph. This was the site of the toll gate more than a hundred years before this photograph was taken.

Published:
27 June 2018
Article reference:
11

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