With the arrival of the 20th century, as Australia's abundant agricultural, industrial and mineral resources were increasingly exploited, more and more investment was devoted to applied research in related areas, Before 1960, when Melbourne was still the only university in the state of Victoria, faculties and departments with a practical orientation flourished in particular.
進入廿世紀後，澳洲豐富的農工礦原料不斷開發，為配合各項產業發展，相關應用的研究也投資日多。一九六○年以前，墨大所在的維多利亞省只有它一所大學，肩負培養所需人才及提供技術支援的重責大任，以實用為主的各種科系遂蓬勃而起。