Mount Evelyn History Group

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 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

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

Formed in 1963, the Society holds local history materials including photographs, newspapers, books, journals, manuscripts, maps, oral and family histories. It holds monthly meetings with speakers, and conducts a variety of tours including that of Box Hill Cemetery. Information on tours can be found on the Box Hill Historical Society website.

Suburbs or towns: Box Hill; Bennetswood; Burwood; Mont Albert; Surrey Hills

Catalogue records online:

Whitehorse Manningham Local History Database — http://www.localhist.wev.vic.gov.au/
Picture Victoria — http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/

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 aim of the Balwyn Historical Society is to facilitate and promote an interest in the history of Balwyn and nearby areas. Its objectives are to:

• Organise speakers on historical subjects and related community interests
• Publish a regular newsletter
• Encourage historical research
• Collect and organise documents and photographs and make them available for research
• Display historical photographs and documents
• Conduct events and excursions to places of historical interest
• Exchange information and work with other historical societies

Suburbs or towns: Balwyn; Balwyn North; Deepdene; Greythorn

Funding was obtained from the Victorian Multicultural Commission in 2005 to establish The Australian Lebanese Historical Society of Victoria. ALHSV was incorporated on July 7 2005 and formally launched at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Melbourne, on 4 October 2006.

We welcome as members all who have an interest in the ALHSV goals and activities.

The ALHSV is run by a Council with elections held bi-annually.

We aim to…

• Foster research, writing and exhibitions on Lebanese heritage, culture and history in Victoria.

• Identify and record materials related to Lebanese migration and settlement in Victoria.

• Promote the study and publication of the contributions of the Lebanese Community to Australian society.

• Liaise with mainstream collecting and displaying bodies such as museums, libraries, archival resource centres and cultural organisations.

• Build understanding of their cultural heritage among the Australian-Lebanese Community of Victoria.

• Sponsor and develop applications for projects in support of the above.

Our mission is to collect, document, research, preserve and make available to the wider community for their enjoyment and education items that show the development of Dandenong and District from early settlement to present day.

The American Ex-Servicemen’s Association is a social organization formed for the purpose of promoting the welfare of American Ex-Servicemen and women in Australia and to secure better relations between Americans and the Australian Community. We join together to enjoy comradery and remember those who have served our home country

The American Ex-Servicemen’s Association was started in March 1946 by a group of American Service personnel who emigrated to Australia.