Ballarat Irish Association

The Altona Historical Society was formed in 1961, incorporated in 1996 and in 2000 amalgamated with the Laverton Historical Society to form the Altona-Laverton Historical Society Inc.

Its aim is to encourage the study of the history of Altona and Laverton area through the acquisition of relevant objects, photographs, information and archive material, making these available to members and the community for their research.

The society also hosts a number of events at the Altona homestead and in the park including ghost tours organised by Lantern Ghost Tours and visits by many clubs and schools. Information about these events can be found by visiting the Altona-Laverton Historical Society website.

Homested Opening Times

Tuesdays 11-2pm
Saturday 10-12pm
First Sunday of the month – 10.30-2.30pm

The Bellarine Historical Society’s aim is to preserve the history of the Bellarine. Over the years a dedicated team of volunteers has created a unique research centre that contains rate books, church records, and family histories. It also has a small museum which contains items of local significance. Many photos and personal records provide an insight into a world we have lost.

Postal Address – PO Box 53, Drysdale VIC 3222

The current history group was reformed in 1998. We have never had a permanent premises or museum to store our records or welcome visitors and meetings were held in local community centres. 

In 2016 the Hume Council allocated rental space for CHIG at the Newbury Centre in Craigieburn where we meet, work on our collection and hold our monthly meetings. CHIG relies greatly on our website as our main link with the local and wider community.

Our main activities, aside from collecting/researching and storing historical information on Craigieburn and the surrounding district, are keeping photographs of the changing face of the area, communicating with local community groups, schools and other relevant history organisations. We record  oral histories of local residents and those with connections to Craigieburn who make contact with us. 

The Footscray Historical Society Inc was formed at a public meeting in 1968. The Society actively records, preserves and researches the history of the suburbs within the City of Maribyrnong – Braybrook, Footscray, Kingsville, Maidstone, Maribyrnong, Seddon, West Footscray, Tottenham and Yarraville.

The purposes of the Footscray Historical Society are to advance Australian culture by recording and cataloguing the history of the Footscray district. And by collecting, preserving, and exhibiting items of historical significance to the Footscray district for the benefit of the community, advocating for the conservation, restoration and maintenance of buildings and sites of historical significance to the Footscray district for the benefit of the community and fostering public awareness of and interest in, the history of the Footscray district.

Volunteer based, non-profit organisation dedicated to Camperdown & district history in the south west of Victoria, Australia.

Postal Address – PO Box 243 Camperdown, VIC 3260

The Newport Railway Museum hosts an extraordinary collection of steam, diesel and electric trains as well as a host of other railway exhibits. We are open to the general public every Saturday from 12 noon to 5pm. During school holidays it is open both Saturdays AND Sundays from 12 noon to 5pm. The Museum can also open outside of these hours by special appointment for group bookings. It is a popular destination for school excursions, car clubs, photography clubs, RSL and Probus clubs, just to name a few.

Postal Address – PO Box 748 Williamstown, VIC 3016

Essendon Historical Society is a non-profit organisation committed to documenting, preserving and promoting the history of the City of Moonee Valley which consists of Airport West, Ascot Vale, Avondale Heights, Essendon, Essendon North, Keilor East, Kensington, Moonee Ponds, Niddrie, Strathmore, Strathmore Heights as well as parts of Keilor and Flemington.

The Society was formed in 1970 by a group of residents who recognised the importance of preserving all aspects of local history for the benefit of present and future generations.

Early meetings were held in private homes and, later, in the Moonee Ponds Town Hall. In 1981, after a long battle, the Society obtained the use of the old Moonee Ponds Courthouse as its headquarters.

Essendon Historical Society has retained the use of the 1890 building since that time. With somewhere to display and store items of local historical interest, the community was encouraged to assist in building up various collections of local significance.

*Image Source: Essendon Historical Society Collection

The Society holds a culturally and historically significant collection of books, documents, photographs, artworks, textiles and objects. Many of the photographs and documents are irreplaceable.

Established in 1956, the Williamstown Historical Society was established to highlight the diverse activities of the inhabitants of this historic seaport. The collection includes photographs, paintings, artefacts, models and sporting memorabilia.

The purpose of the Williamstown Historical Society and Museum is to preserve the history of Williamstown, Newport and Spotswood for future generations through the collection, discovery, identification, study, understanding, classification, documentation, preservation, exhibition and interpretation of objects and documents of historical significance relating to Williamstown, Newport and Spotswood.

Discover the rich history of St John Ambulance in Victoria from the perspective of the many generous volunteers who are the backbone of the organisation. View displays from 1900 to today of First Aid equipment, uniforms, photographs and more. Visit the St John Museum, open to public across from Williamstown Beach.