May, 60 years ago. The famous National Bank of Australasia Ltd’s collectible calendar of 1957 looks fondly back to pre-Federation Melbourne. A Swanston Street reproduction of c.1863 – from the gold rich British Colony of Victoria, the streets seem just too clean to be true.

The tragedy of WW2 still rippled through family homes and the maddens of the Korean was at a stalemate: the North Korean invasion of South Korea was repelled. The subsequent American-led invasion of North Korea was repelled with massive support from China.

The subsequent Chinese invasion of South Korea was then repelled & a crazy stability has now lasted just over 60 years.

Robert Menzies was Prime Minister and Melbourne had just hosted a successful 1956 Olympics Games. Things were looking prosperous for the young country. Legacies of the “founding fathers” of the Melbourne were being cast, just the improbably clean streets depicted in 1863.

You can often find National Bank calendars at the Camberwell Market. The look great framed!