Carlo Catani
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 |
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.
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.
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
- 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.