Australian Jazz Museum

The Australian Garden History Society promotes awareness and conservation of significant gardens and cultural landscapes through engagement, research, advocacy and activities.

Formed in 1980, the AGHS brings together people from diverse backgrounds united by an appreciation of and concern for our parks, gardens and cultural landscapes as part of Australia’s heritage. The Society promotes knowledge of historic gardens, significant landscapes and research into their history. It aims to examine gardens and gardening in their widest social, historic, literary, artistic and scientific context.

The Fitzroy History Society caters for anyone interested in the history of the Fitzroy area.  Anyone who is interested in joining is welcome.  You don’t have to live in the area to be a member of the Society.

Postal Address – PO Box 180 Fitzroy VIC 3065

The Adam Lindsay Gordon Commemorative Committee Inc. (A0049425F) was formed in 2006 by a group of dedicated enthusiasts. The aim of the Committee is to:

• Raise the profile of Adam Lindsay Gordon as Australia’s national poet
• Facilitate events around Australia on the anniversary of Adam Lindsay Gordon’s death
• Collate material on Adam Lindsay Gordon’s life and works and make it available to researchers and admirers alike
• Undertake projects to perpetuate the memory of Adam Lindsay Gordon
• Do all such other things as are conducive or incidental to the attainment of the above purposes or any of them.

Image: by Andrew Lutz. The piper is John Houghton from The City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band.

Beaumaris Modern is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to celebrate, educate and promote public awareness of the importance of preserving the mid-century architecture of Beaumaris.

Our aims:

• Promote awareness and the preservation of Middle Park history.
• Involve and encourage the Middle Park community to actively participate in historical research.
• Seek from the community oral histories, photographs and moving images, documents and artefacts relevant to Middle Park history.
• Encourage research by government, educational institutions and others that can illuminate Middle Park history and culture.
• Seek resources, both financially and in-kind to enhance the work of the Group.

Image: courtesy of State Library of Victoria (Rose Stereograph Co. (1920). ARMSTRONG STREET, MIDDLE PARK, VICTORIA).

Postal Address –   PO Box 5276,   MIDDLE PARK 3206

Plenty Historical Society Inc was formed in February 2001 and comprises a group of people keen to create and nurture an active and sustainable organisation that is assertive in preserving the unique natural and historical environment and culture of Plenty and district in complement with Nillumbik Shire Council’s Heritage Overlay.

Image: Former Plenty Uniting (Methodist) Church building which has recently been relocated to the Plenty Heritage Park, Memorial Drive, Plenty, by the Major Roads Projects Authority (MRPA), a section of VicRoads, as a result of the need to move it from its former site because of major roadworks being undertaken. MRPA acquired the building from the Uniting Church when they acquired the land for road construction. MRPA is donating the building to the Plenty Historical Society Inc. once renovations and significant other works are completed. The building will then become the new home of the Plenty Historical Society inc. It will be some time before the Society gains access to the building, but we are most grateful that firstly our efforts to save the building from possible demolition and have it relocated to the Heritage Park and eventually acquire the church building have been worthwhile.

The church building has been assessed as historical significant on a local level, for its long association with religious community gatherings and activities in the Plenty farming area. It should be seen as a locally significant representative of the Methodist revival of the 1920s, in which rural home missionaries played an important and distinctive role in sustaining local religious communities. Methodism was a Christian sect originating in England from the teachings of Wesley, born out of concern in the 19th century that the established church ‘had little or no desire for the salvation of the masses’ (Benson 1935:8) As a form of ‘social Christianity”\’, it emphasised missionary work among the poor, workers, and remote communities. It was a powerful force in educating the working class and evangelising its moral code. Travelling preachers and lay helpers drawn from its own ranks thus quickly multiplied and chapels were erected in centres of population predominantly using funds raised from its congregations, The Home Mission, established in 1875 to spread Methodism throughout the remote communities of the British Empire, trained and deployed ‘home missionaries’ who were the ‘shock-troops’ of the church. Their activity made Methodism, despite its relative youth, a strong presence in the colonies and the dominions, and Methodists regularly ranked among the main religious groups in new Victorian settler Communities

The former chapel is locally significant as one of a small number of buildings representing the establishment of the township of Plenty in the 1920s based around its small farming community. Plenty district developed following the arrival of the railway, even though the railway was some distance away. It developed as a community of small farmers. Plenty was then a developing orchard and farming district. Its school opened in 1922, with 29 pupils. The post office opened in 1923. The 1920s, when the church was built was thus an important period of growth in the history of Plenty.

Methodist services were first held at Plenty in 1925, under the auspices of the Diamond Creek Methodist Home Mission Station, which had six churches throughout the Diamond Valley. Other Churches were at Diamond Creek, Arthurs Creek, Cottles Bridge, Hurstbridge and Wattle Glen. In 1925, the Victorian Methodist Church encouraged the building of new country churches by offering £50 to communities who could raise £100. The Methodists of Plenty took advantage of the offer, and their wooden chapel was opened in December 1925. Within five years of opening the church was debt free. (Source: “Independent Panel Hearing Statement of Evidence on Former Methodist Church” January 2012)

The Cinema and Theatre Historical Society of Australia Inc. was formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1989

The Society’s aims are –

• To foster an interest in the architecture, history and heritage of cinemas and theatres in Australia.

• Record the history of cinemas and theatres in the form of books, magazines and audiovisual materials.

• To maintain an archive collection of cinema related documents, photos, etc.
• Provide public access to the collection for the purpose of cinema research and related matters.
• Seek to preserve theatre and cinema buildings and artefacts.
• Organise events to facilitate inspections for documenting and photographing of cinema venues.

• Conduct regular meetings for members.

The ‘Friends of La Trobe’s Cottage’ was formed in 2009 under the umbrella of the C J La Trobe Society to support the National Trust in its efforts to maintain the Cottage, and, through fund-raising, improve the visitor experience at the Cottage through regular public opening times, enhanced interpretation, and improved interior and exterior appearance.

The Friends aim to promote education programs for schools, and foster a better understanding among the citizens of Melbourne and beyond of the important role La Trobe played in setting up our early university, hospital, library and other institutions, and in establishing the parks and gardens which are such a feature of our city today.

The Carlton Community History Group, an historical society focusing on the history of Carlton, Carlton North and Princes Hill.

Postal Address – PO Box 148, North Carlton VIC 3054

The Kastellorizian Association of Victoria was established in 1925 to give assistance to the fledgling Greek community of Melbourne who emigrated from the tiny island of Kastellorizo. A Brotherhood was established offering vital social, economic and cultural support and links to its members.

With recent amendments to our Constitution, our primary purpose now is to use our activities and functions as a vehicle to assist those in need in the Kastellorizian and wider Greek Community.

These activities aim to promote among Kastellorizians and their descendents in Victoria, the cultural heritage of Kastellorizo and the integration of its community into the multicultural society of the Australian community. This includes the organisation of social functions to foster continued social interaction between families and friends of Kastellorizo, the promotion of cultural activities by organising lectures, exhibitions, recitals, musical evenings etc and the promotion of academic and/or sporting excellence by awarding prizes and scholarships.

Image: 1928 Kazzie Picnic, a very symbolic, traditional and annual event for the Kastellorizian community.

The Chelsea and District Historical Society is a not-for-profit community organisation founded in 1963 to encourage an interest in and an enthusiasm for the history of Chelsea and surrounding areas. The Society is run by volunteers and welcomes new members at any time.

Current address: 3-5 Showers Ave Chelsea 3196
Postal address: PO Box 377, Chelsea 3196

The Chelsea and District Historical Society can be found us on Facebook, Instagram and My Community Life.