Carlo Giorgio Domenico Enrico Catani (22 April 1852 – 20 July 1918) was a civil engineer who, for the majority of his career, worked in Australia for the Victorian State Government.
Carlo Giorgio Domenico Enrico Catani | |
|---|---|
 Memorial statue and plaque honouring Carlo Catani, St. Kilda, Victoria | |
| Born | 22 April 1852 Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany |
| Died | 20 July 1918 (aged 66) St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Civil engineer |
| Years active | 1876–1917 |
| Spouse | Cathrine Hanley |
| Children | 6 |
He was born in Florence, Italy, and gained a civil engineering diploma at the Technical Institute there. After working in railway construction, he migrated to New Zealand in 1876, but left for Melbourne almost immediately. Within a few weeks, he joined the Victorian Department of Crown Lands and Survey as a draughtsman. In 1882, he transferred to the Public Works Department, and became head of his section in 1892.[1]
Catani oversaw many civil engineering projects, including:
- the draining of the Koo-Wee-Rup swamp
- the widening and improvement of the Yarra River upstream from Princes Bridge, Alexandra Avenue and the laying out and planting of the Alexandra Gardens
- the making of roads to Arthurs Seat and to Mount Donna Buang
- the construction of the Elwood Canal[2]
- the construction of Murray River levees in the Strathmerton district
- the construction of Lake Catani on Mount Buffalo
- the reclamation and the layout of the St Kilda foreshore.[3]
Personal life edit
In May 1886, Catani married 26-year-old Cathrine Hanley, the daughter of a Belfast (Port Fairy) farmer. The couple had three daughters and three sons, one of whom was killed in action in World War I. He was naturalised on 15 March 1892.[1]
Legacy edit
The township of Catani, Victoria, Lake Catani at Mount Buffalo, and Catani Gardens in the suburb of St. Kilda, are named after him.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c McNicholl, Ronald (1979). "Carlo Giorgio Domenico Enrico Catani (1852–1918)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 7. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ Elwood Canal Precinct (PDF), 2004, retrieved 25 August 2011
- ^ Italian Delegation to Honour Carlo Catani, Designer of the St Kilda Foreshore, 21 November 2001, archived from the original on 28 September 2007, retrieved 25 August 2011