Do you know where the center of Melbourne is? In Melbourne, CBD, the nine-house grid, Elizabeth Street and Bourke Street occupy the city's east-west and north-south axes, respectively. And the point where they meet is the heart of the city.
This rendezvous is not only a witness to Melbourne's growing prosperity, but also a little-known love story.
Elizabeth Street, maybe some people think it's in honor of two queens named Elizabeth, but you know what? It's just a memory of an unknown woman,: Elizabeth Jane Bourke..
The woman's husband, however, is known to the Australians as Bourke.. He was the first colonizer to board Australia's mainland, and a Melbourne nominator! CBD's famous Bourke Street was named after him.
In 1798, 21-year-old Bourke finished his studies at Oxford University and returned to his hometown. With the introduction of his relative Edmund, he gradually became famous in the local social circle.
At a dance, slightly tired, he decided to quit the dance floor and take a break. In a twinkling of a turn, a casual glance. From then on, the name "Elizabeth" was reflected in his heart.
What Bourke does not know is that at this time Elizabeth's eyes are full of his shadow.
But the story of love at first sight came to an end before it could unfold. William Windham, then a cabinet minister, brought him under his command and sent him to the Netherlands.
In 1799, Bourke was shot through his jaw in the Dutch battle and had to go home to heal his wounds. He returned to his hometown and met Elizabeth again! The two who missed each other soon fell in love.
The next day was happy for them. Bourke was promoted not only to Captain for bravery in the war, but also to his beloved Elizabeth husband and wife, and soon had his first child.
Because Elizabeth is weak from the small body, often in autumn and winter cold days can not afford to get sick. Bourke is naturally heartbroken!
In 1825, Bourke heard that the newly discovered colonies were in the warm south, where the environment was beautiful and the soil was rich. So there was an idea in mind, why not move to the south, where Elizabeth might be better.
Since then, Elizabeth has been living with her husband for up to 10 years.
Soon after living at Cape of good Hope, Bourke was sent to a new colony in New South Wales, now Sydney.
For the Bourke couple, this is an outsider of the world, despite the perishness and hardship of the colonies.
Here, Bourke was busy with colonial affairs, while his wife, Elizabeth, took care of his five children at home and taught his servants to grow vegetables and fruits.
However, the warm climate did not cure Elizabeth's persistent illness, and her condition began to worsen. While visiting local doctors and writing home for help, Bourke failed to find a cure for Elizabeth.
In 1832, Bourke, who spent countless hours, lost his beloved wife.
Reminiscent of love, an inch of lovesickness forever.
Elizabeth's death was a painful blow to Bourke. So much so that in the next few decades, he did not come out completely, not to mention falling in love with others.
Shortly after his wife's death, the then governor was invited to name the main streets of Melbourne.
Traditionally, the main street should be named after the royal family at the time or the surname of the major contributing courtier.
But Bourke, immersed in the pain of his wife, made a surprising decision: to name the city's most central street, Elizabeth, and to name the street through the heart of Elizabeth St, after his own name, Bourke.
In Bourke's view, even if heaven and man are separated forever, let their own name and wife's name always cling to each other. The two intersecting streets, like his and his wife's blood, formed a huge cross at the heart of the city, inlaid with his unforgettable thoughts of his wife.
In his heart, Australia is his and his wife's heart of the world, there are too many memories of them.
He wants to leave the yearning and memory in the heart of the city.
After Elizabeth's death, Bourke devoted almost all his energy to the development of the Australian colonies. His wife, Elizabeth, can be seen in many of his new deals.
His wife's kindness to his servants and local labourers led him to stop transporting criminals to Australia and to make it a rule-of-law society.
When his wife attached importance to education, he insisted on promoting it in the colonies.
And all this is because in his heart feels: this is his and his wife's real home!
Not for high officials, only because of a deep love.