Dryden’s Rock, Mount Macedon, Victoria.

Scarced, c.19th hand coloured engraved view depicting Dryden’s Rock, also known as Hanging Rock.

Hanging Rock is a striking geological formation located near Mount Macedon in Victoria, Australia. The site was first documented by Robert Hoddle in 1844, who referred to it as Diogenes’s Mount. Its unique and dramatic rock formations quickly gained recognition, with William von Blandowski, curator of Melbourne’s Natural History Museum, praising it in 1855 as, “one of the most remarkable spots in Victoria, if not in the whole of Australia.”

By the late 1850s, the formation became known as Dryden’s Rock, named after an early settler in the area, as well as The Hanging Rock, due to a distinctive suspended rock on its southern side. This engraving captures the rugged beauty and geological wonder of the site, which had begun to attract visitors for recreational activities. The land surrounding Hanging Rock was purchased from the Crown in 1857, and by the mid-1860s, it had become a popular destination for picnics and sports events, including horse racing. These gatherings were initially held on land owned by William Adams, located just to the southwest of Hanging Rock. By 1869, when Adams acquired the allotment that included Hanging Rock itself, organised events on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day were drawing large crowds, with thousands of visitors from both the local area and Melbourne.

This engraving not only serves as an artistic representation of the awe-inspiring natural landscape but also reflects the cultural and social significance of Hanging Rock during the c.19th, as it became a beloved destination for leisure and outdoor activities.

Collections:
State Library Victoria: MC 919.45 N42I
National Library Australia: Bib ID: 2264805
State Library New South Wales: 991021280379702626

Collections:
State Library Victoria: MC 919.45 N42I
National Library Australia: Bib ID: 2264805
State Library New South Wales: 991021280379702626