There is always a past in every city or suburb. But how often do you stop and consider the past use of buildings or sites where you work, live and shop? The City of Kingston, located 20kms from Melbourne CBD, became well known as a seaside resort in the late 1800s, and its market garden industry provided economic prosperity for many years. However this short tour takes us on a different journey into a time in Melbourne’s history that was not romantic, inspiring or heroic. This heritage tour takes us back to the 1890s and 1930s during the bleak depression, when the early welfare movement was informed by sectarian social beliefs and old English government legislation. This tour will track the sites and buildings, once occupied by care institutions, and considers a different narrative in the growth and development of this outer suburb of Melbourne. Let us now go back in time and take a short journey into the history of the City of Kingston.