William Calder

William Calder (31 July 1860 – 18 February 1928), engineer, was born at Lovell's Flat, Milton near Dunedin, New Zealand, only son of Arthur Calder and his wife Margaret Milne, née Strachan. Calder was educated in New Zealand (Milton local school and the Otago Boys' High School in Dunedin 1876-77), and then attended Otago University. He became a cadet in the Government Survey Department in October 1883 and after five years of practical training, he passed the authorised surveyors' examination with credit in July 1888, and was responsible for much road construction and exploration in the North and South islands of the Dominion.

Migration to Australia

In 1888, he came to Victoria and worked in private engineering and surveying firms. In October 1889, he became assistant town surveyor for the City of Footscray, and in July 1890 town engineer. At night he studied to gain certificates as municipal engineer (1890) and engineer of Water supply (1892). From December 1897 to March 1913, Calder was city engineer and building surveyor to the City of Prahran. Among the works he is credited with are the first asphalted carpet-road surface, the first refuse destructor in Australia, and the completion of a major drainage project.

Country Roads Board

Calder made the greatest impact as the first Chairman for the Country Roads Board (CRB) from 1913 to 1928. Among his first tasks was to undertake an exhaustive inspection of the road system, which had been neglected by the responsible municipalities and state government since the building of the railways. Calder was known as a meticulous note-taker and enthusiastic photographer, and his notes recording the board's progress were transcribed and used as a basic reference for many years. Despite, shortages of money and manpower for road-building as a consequence of the Great War, Calder campaigned successfully for more funds, especially for arterial roads, both publicly and privately.

Legacy

Many of Calder's recommendations were included in the important Highways and Vehicles Act 1924, which provided for the declaration of State highways, two-thirds financed by the state government through the Country Roads Board. This network of highways is perhaps Calder's main achievement: the Calder Highway, the road to Bendigo and Mildura was named after him. The Country Roads Board's system of organisation was copied in other States, New Zealand and Fiji. Calder was a strong advocate for Federal assistance in highway construction, and attended the first meeting of the Federal Aid Roads Board set up under the act of 1926. a plaque at Frankston and a bridge at Moe. A portrait of him by Tom Roberts, still hangs in the VicRoads offices, in Ringwood to this day.