Kinglake Historical Society

About the Society

The Whittlesea Historical Society meets every 3 months as per their calendar.  Visitors are most welcome to attend. We meet in the Whittlesea  Bowls Club at 101 Church Street Whittlesea Vic 3757.

Some of our aims include:

• Petition on behalf of local historic sites, buildings, trees, etc to Council or government,
• Undertake and promote the research of our history,
• Collect, conserve, compile and make available historic records,
• Establish and maintain a library and archives of that information,
• Disseminate knowledge of our history through lectures, publications, exhibitions, excursions and other means,
• Provide a means for people interested in the area’s history to meet, discuss and participate.

The Yarrambat Historical Society Inc was formed in 1990 with the mission “To preserve and perpetuate the history of the area and to promote and encourage social interchange between people of all ages who share and interest in our cultural heritage”

The Yarrambat Heritage Museum is by far the largest project undertaken by the Society. The Society took over the site in early 2001 and over the ensuing years has developed the site into an operational Heritage Museum. A grant from the Victorian State Government enabled the relocation of the original 1878 Primary School classroom to the site in 2002.

The Society operates an historic cottage erected in 1865. It holds a large collection of historic photographs, and features information on local gold mines.

Postal Address – C/o Post Office, Yarra Glen, VIC 3775

The History Group is a group formed within the Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre in 2020.

It was formerly the Yarra Glen & District Historical Society Incorporated which existed independently from 1973 until 2019.

The History Group is located at the Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre, 12-14 Anzac Avenue, Yarra Glen.

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)

Opening Times
Thursdays 10am-12noon
Sundays by appointment only

The Andrew Ross Museum was officially opened in March 1993 and through the hard work and dedication of its volunteers is now fully accredited with Museums Australia.

The Museum’s namesake, Andrew Ross, was the first schoolmaster in the district as well as a keen recorder of contemporary life and he left a remarkable written legacy to the Kangaroo Ground community. Our exhibitions explore the life and times of Andrew Ross and also Kangaroo Ground, the land and its people from pre-European time to the present.

We maintain collections that include the old schoolhouse building that the museum is house in, artefacts of local significance, a photographic collection and an extensive archive of documents relating to the district. Publications relating to local history are also available.

The Military History Group Inc. is based in Victoria, Australia, and is an organisation dedicated to the restoration and preservation of military vehicles and their heritage.

The MHG Inc. attends various military vehicle displays throughout Victoria and NSW. Vehicles from WW2, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam and current conflicts are represented.

Scottish settlers Agnes and William Bell were the first to lease the land where the property was established. From the 1850s to the 1950s, Gulf Station supplied produce to gold miners of the district. The National Trust acquired stewardship of the property in 1976 and restored its buildings and cottage garden.

The Society’s rooms are located in the Healesville Community Link (at the rear of the Memorial Hall), 110 River Street, Healesville. This is the same building as the library; please ask the library staff for directions once entering the building.

The purpose of the Healesville and District Historical Society Inc (founded in 1984) is to encourage and facilitate the study of the history of Healesville and district and to research, conserve, interpret and exhibit material which illustrates this history and to answer queries from the public relating to Healesville history. To this end the society shall acquire, research, conserve, interpret and exhibit material which illustrates this history.

*Image: Nicholson Street Healesville looking east in the late 1930s

Founded in 1971

We aim to collect, research, promote and publish the history of the people, places, events and developments of particularly Lilydale, Coldstream, Chirnside Park, Montrose,  Seville, Silvan, Yering, Gruyere, and Killara with a special focus on the life and family Dame Nellie Melba.

Image: Old Lilydale Court House, now home to  Lilydale & District Historical Society