Royal Historical Society of Victoria

Chapel Street Walk
2026-04-22 10:30 - 11:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Around Prahran’s Iconic Buildings
Join us for an Australian Heritage Festival event!
Step back in time and explore the golden days of shopping along Chapel Street, Prahran. This tour is full of fascinating stories about Melbourne’s beloved department stores. Starting at the PMI Victorian History Library, we’ll explore gems like the old Prahran Arcade, learning how its beautiful heritage features have been lovingly preserved. An all-inclusive experience, perfect for everyone – families, individuals, and even your beloved pets!
About the Tour Guide, Steve Stefanopoulos OAM: is an architectural historian, former Mayor of the City of Stonnington and President of the PMI Victorian History Library.
We are very grateful to Steve Stefanopoulos OAM for continuing to support the Library by generously volunteering his time and knowledge to these tours.

Secrets of the Stacks: An Immersive Murder Mystery Experience at the PMI Library
2026-04-24 18:15 - 20:30 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Step into a world of intrigue and suspense as the PMI Victorian History Library transforms for one extraordinary evening. Uncover hidden truths, decipher cryptic clues, and unmask a potential saboteur in this immersive murder mystery experience.
The Scene As Melbourne’s elite gather to celebrate, an air of unease settles over the prestigious library. Whispers of a ghostly presence echo through the ancient stacks, and a priceless manuscript vanishes without a trace. Is someone plotting to destroy the library’s legacy?
Your Mission Embrace your new persona and become both detective and suspect in this thrilling adventure. Navigate a web of rivalries, hidden agendas, and dangerous secrets that blur the lines between past and present. Can you unravel the mystery before it’s too late?
Don’t just read about history – become part of it.

Armadale Heritage Walk
2026-04-29 10:30 - 11:45 | Armadale Train Station, High St / Cheel St, Armadale, VIC, 3143
Join us for an Australian Heritage Festival event!
Join us for a captivating walking tour that blends history and exercise, perfect for enthusiasts of both! Starting at Armadale train station, you’ll explore the fascinating past of High Street, one of Victoria’s most iconic locations known for its vibrant food scene, fashion boutiques, leisure spots, and stunning architecture.
Tour starts at Armadale Train Station – High St / Cheel St, Armadale VICTORIA 3143.
Please remember to wear sensible shoes, weather appropriate clothing and to take care through out the walk as there are uneven surfaces.

Revealing the Hidden: Historical Archaeology and Conservation of Unique Artefacts from 19th Century Melbourne
2026-05-19 18:30 - 19:30 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
A National Archeaology Week Event
This panel event draws on two recent conference papers: “A Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes: Successful Collaboration and the Preservation of 19th Century Footwear from Deep Deposits below the Melbourne Rail Yard” and “Sound as a Barrel: Historical Archaeological Conservation of a Unique Timber Barrel from Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.”
The first paper examines artefact-rich deposits uncovered during works on a recent project which included more than 200 preserved nineteenth-century shoes recovered from the former West Melbourne Swamp. It highlights the challenges of excavating and managing unstable artefacts and the importance of collaboration between archaeologists, conservators and regulators.
The second paper focuses on the excavation and conservation of a rare timber barrel from another recent development and infrastructure project, demonstrating how adaptive strategies can stabilise fragile objects while revealing historical evidence.
This event is aimed at researchers, historians, educators, archaeologists, heritage professionals and the wider community interested in Melbourne’s past. Many of our members are in the heritage/architecture/ archaeology sector and we want to expand our reach to them with this informative talk.
Dr Michelle Negus Cleary holds a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Sydney (awarded in 2015) and more than fifteen years of experience working with archaeological projects in Australia, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the Republic of Georgia. She is the Technical Director at Dr Vincent Clark Archaeology & Heritage and has worked as an archaeologist, heritage advisor and spatial data specialist in Australian archaeology since 2010.
Ramona Angelico specialises in the management of archaeological collections, the cataloguing of artefacts, and the analysis and interpretation of material culture. She has worked as a Historical Artefact Specialist at Dr Vincent Clark Archaeology & Heritage since 2019 and as Team Leader – Historical Artefacts since 2024.
Jaimi Houston completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) majoring in Archaeology and Ancient Cultures at Monash University in 2021. She has worked as an Archaeologist at Dr Vincent Clark Archaeology & Heritage since 2022 and as the Historical Artefact Assistant and Artefact Photographer since 2024.
Dr Holly Jones-Amin is an internationally recognised conservator specialising in low-fired archaeological pottery conservation and people‑centred approaches to material heritage. She has directed conservation archaeological projects across Syria, Georgia, Turkey and Australia, with additional work throughout the Pacific, Southeast Asia, Italy, and the Himalayas. She is a University of Melbourne lecturer.
Marica Mucic holds a Bachelor of Arts (La Trobe University) and a Master of Cultural Materials Conservation (University of Melbourne). A member of the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM), she is an objects conservator specialising in archaeological artefacts as well as commemorative, memorial, and heritage works.

From Ruin to Renewal: Hidden Histories of Melbourne’s Plains
2026-05-21 18:30 - 19:30 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
A National Archeaology Week Event
Western Melbourne’s open plains may look like blank space between suburbs—but dig a little deeper and you’ll uncover stories written into every ruined homestead. These forgotten landmarks tell of colonisation, survival, and cultural change, connecting today’s fast-growing communities with the region’s layered past.
In this fascinating talk, we’ll explore how heritage experts are reimagining the role of ruins—from forgotten relics to vibrant community hubs and storytelling spaces. Through real case studies like Doherty and Missen Houses, discover how creative conservation blends history, design, and ecology to breathe new life into what remains.
You’ll see how these half-lost homesteads spark conversations about memory, identity, and belonging in a changing landscape. Perfect for anyone passionate about architecture, local history, or the power of place.
Roger Beeston is a Registered Architect and Associate of the Australian Institute of Architects AIA. He is actively engaged in both the contemporary building and heritage management fields. In doing so, he has acquired expertise in traditional and contemporary building technologies, developing authentic and sustainable remedial conservation interventions. This expertise has been central to establishing his expertise and reputation in the conservation of stone facades, for which his detailed and attentive work has earned his practice the AIA John George Knight Award for Heritage Architecture at multiple places, including at the State heritage listed Maryborough Railway Station and South Melbourne Town Hall.
Phillipa Hall is a UK registered architect with diverse experience on all stages of projects, from small residential extensions to the adaptive reuse and conservation of large public buildings. She believes that architecture should be accessible to all members of society, enhancing the existing situation while considering the long-term social, economic, physical and environmental outcomes.

How to Grow and use Herbs for Cooking, Medicine and Pleasure
2026-05-26 14:00 - 15:00 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Join award-winning author, broadcaster and organic gardening expert, Penny Woodward, for an inspiring talk on how to grow and use herbs for cooking, medicine and pleasure. Drawing on her decades of experience as a horticultural editor, writer, and photographer, Penny will share her practical tips for cultivating healthy herbs at home and explore the fascinating history and science behind their many uses.
This session will delight foodies, gardeners, and anyone curious about natural living. Discover how herbs can enrich your garden, support your wellbeing, and transform everyday cooking into something truly special.
Penny Woodward has a background in Botany and Zoology. She brings both expertise and enthusiasm to everything she does—from her years as ABC’s Organic Gardener magazine horticultural editor to her popular books like the award-winning Garlic: An Organic Guide and Tomato: Know, Sow, Grow, Feast.

Mechanics' Institutes Resource Centre
2026-06-16 14:00 - 15:00 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Do you want to learn more about the history of your local mechanics’ institute? This talk will showcase the wide variety of material held in the Mechanics’ Institutes Resource Centre (MIRC). This rich collection has records relating to 130 mechanics’ institutes and consists of photographs, scanned records such as minute books, books and realia. Discover how the MIRC can help you research the history of your mechanics’ institute and your local area and you may even find an ancestor was a member of the committee.
Heather Arnold is the President of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society, Secretary of the South Eastern Historical Association and the Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria and was for many years the Local History Librarian at Casey Cardinia Libraries. She is a local history enthusiast, lives and breathes history and firmly believes that everyone and everything has a story worth telling.

Family History Workshop: Understanding Military Records
2026-06-24 10:30 - 14:00 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Have you discovered a relative who served in the military but aren’t sure how to uncover their story? Join us at the PMI Victorian History Library for a hands-on workshop, and learn how to interpret, locate, and make sense of military records to bring your ancestor’s service to life.
What You’ll Learn:
Finding the right records: Understand where Australian and international military records are held and how to access them.
Decoding service documents: Learn how to interpret abbreviations, ranks, regiments, and campaign references.
Tracing a soldier’s journey: Use maps, unit histories, and archives to follow your ancestor’s experience through time and place.
Family connections: Discover how military service impacted families and what related documents can reveal.
Preserving and sharing the story: Learn how to store, digitise, and include military information in your family history projects.
Whether you’re tracing a grandfather’s ANZAC history or uncovering a distant relative’s military past, this workshop will guide you through the process with clarity and confidence. Wendy has researched family histories since 1997 and is an active member of several genealogical societies.
About the Facilitor, Wendy Eldridge: Wendy has done family history research since 1997. She is a qualified researcher, and is active with many Family History groups.

Writing the Crocodile
2026-07-14 06:30 - 19:30 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
In this lively, engaging discussion Aaron and Michelle will discuss their co-written novel for middle grade readers, Spirit of the Crocodile. They’ll talk about why they wrote it, how they wrote it (given that they live 5000kms apart) and why stories like theirs are an important part of Australia’s reconciliation process.
A recent ABC Radio review of the book said: “This is technically a middle-grade novel but if you ask me I think Spirit of the Crocodile is a book for everyone. Kids will love it because it’s funny, relatable and full of adventure. But adults – like teachers, parents and policy-makers – need to read this too. This book is a wake-up call. It shows us what climate change looks like right now: not in graphs or reports but through the heartbreak of a child watching his island disappear. It’s also a celebration of Torres Strait Islander culture – of kinship, community and resilience. For readers unfamiliar with these stories it’s an invitation to listen, to learn and to stand in solidarity with them. And for readers who are from this community, it’s a mirror that says we see you and your stories matter.” Mara Mahoney, Yapese-Fijian Reviewer, Radio Australia (Review begins at 1:42:42)”
Aaron Fa’Aoso is a proud Torres Strait Islander film producer, director, screenwriter and actor. While well known for his roles in East West 101, The Straits and Black Comedy, and as the presenter of Strait to the Plate, young fans know him best as the voice of Old Dog, in Little J and Big Cuz.
In 2022 Aaron published his memoir, called So Far So Good. He is on the board of SBS and of Screen Queensland, and was the proud co-chair of Queensland’s Interim Truth and Treaty Body. Aaron is the founder of film and television production company, Lone Star, whose many outputs include the documentary series Blue Water Empire, about the history of the Torres Strait Islands.
Michelle Scott Tucker is the author of Elizabeth Macarthur: A Life at the Edge of the World – a biography of the woman who established the Australian wool industry (although her husband received all the credit). Elizabeth Macarthur was shortlisted for the 2019 NSW State Library Ashurst Business Literature Prize and the 2019 CHASS Australia Book Prize. Michelle is the co-writer of Aaron Fa’Aoso’s memoir So Far, So Good. She is currently working on a biography of Louisa Lawson, to be released in 2027.

The Antique Experience
2026-07-23 14:00 - 15:00 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
More than just furniture and fine china, every antique holds a story, and few people know that better than Peter Leaver. In 1970, Peter and his partner Ken opened Kenneth Lay Antiques and began a lifelong adventure that would take them far beyond Australian auction houses. Their search for rare and meaningful pieces became a global quest, exploring Sri Lanka and India for remnants of the Raj, wandering the old Dutch trading centres of Indonesia, finding French, English, and Dutch treasures in South Africa, and ultimately falling in love with Argentina’s hidden wealth of antiques. Along the way, they built one of Australia’s largest collections of Staffordshire pottery and shared their expertise through talks at The Johnson Collection.
At The Antique Experience, Peter is joined by collector Marcus Bunyan, whose thrill for op shop discoveries and online finds proves that valuable treasures are not always where you expect them. Together, they will share their passion for authenticity, value, and the enduring beauty of timeless objects. Audiences are even invited to bring along a small item of their own to be reviewed by the panel, because sometimes the most fascinating stories are the ones sitting quietly on your own shelf.

Beyond the Book: Redefining Rarity in a Digital Age
2026-07-30 18:30 - 19:30 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
In twenty years will the most valuable collection items still be printed on paper, or born in code? Join a cross-sector panel from the NFSA, ACMI, and the PMI Library to explore the future and evolution of collecting in a post-print world. Learn how born-digital materials are reshaping what institutions preserve, the challenges of obsolescence, and sourcing material in the first place, and how smaller cultural organisations, like the PMI Library, are navigating an increasingly digital heritage. Attendees will gain insight into how collectors and institutions alike can future-proof their work, ensuring today’s digital voices don’t become tomorrow’s lost history. Expect a lively conversation on technology, authenticity, and what “collecting rare” will mean in 20 years.
Panellists are Ellen Coates, Collections Librarian at the PMI Victorian History Library. Johanna McMahon, Assistant Curator, Industries Collection Acquisition Programs at NFSA and Taryn Ellis, Digital Preservation Archivist at ACMI.

Movies at the Mechanics' Institute
2026-08-20 18:30 - 19:30 | 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Our Bruce Turner Lecture
In the early years of cinema, the Mechanics’ Institute played a surprising role in bringing movies to life. Travelling showmen used these halls to share the wonder of film with small towns and growing suburbs across Victoria.
Join Royce Harris, Archivist and President of the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society, as he uncovers how these early screenings grew into regular film events that entertained communities and supported the Institutes financially.
The talk includes rare and fascinating images from the CATHS archive, showing the many venues that once hosted picture shows, some of which are still standing today.
Royce Harris is the President and Archivist of the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society (CATHS), whose archive is housed in the PMI Victorian History Library’s building.
He grew up in a small country town, where local picture shows were a treasured part of community life. His lifelong interest in the history of cinema and Institutes has shaped much of his work. Royce contributed to the book These Walls Speak Volumes, compiling a detailed list of 172 Mechanics’ Institutes known to have shown films.
Through his research and CATHS’ remarkable archive, Royce brings to life the story of how Mechanics’ Institutes helped shape the early movie experience in Victoria.

Balwyn Heritage Walk
2026-10-07 10:15 - 12:00 | Balwyn Baptist Church, 517 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills, VIC,, 3103, Australia
Reimagine Balwyn of the past
Join us for an Senior and History Month event!
Explore a guided walk through Balwyn’s fascinating past, starting at the Balwyn Baptist Church and winding our way to the Palace Cinema. Along the way, you’ll trace the suburb’s journey from open paddocks and grazing land to one of Melbourne’s most sought-after neighbourhoods.
Hear how trams changed everything in 1916, how a simple land tax in 1921 spurred rapid development, and how a humble vet who once tended horses and cows adapted to care for beloved pets. We’ll stop at every street to uncover stories that shaped this community — from bonfire nights in Beckett Park to the thrill of billy cart races flying down Balwyn Road.
It’s more than a walk — it’s a stroll through living history.
Come curious. Leave inspired.
Tour starts at Balwyn Baptist Church – corner of Parring and Whitehorse Roads.
Please remember to wear sensible shoes, weather appropriate clothing and to take care through out the walk as there are uneven surfaces.

Glenferrie Heritage Trail
2026-10-29 14:00 - 16:00 | Central Gardens
Join PMI Victorian History Library and the Hawthorn Historical Society for a special Seniors and History Month stroll along Glenferrie Road, a place where quiet woodland retreats once stood, now transformed into vibrant city life.
As we wander the streets together, you’ll uncover the stories that shaped this beloved precinct, from runaway hearses to forgotten brick pits, and even a misplaced Brownlow medal or two. It’s a walk full of surprises, laughter and plenty of “I never knew that” moments.
So lace up your walking shoes and step into the past. It’s history told right where it happened.
Tour starts at Central Gardens, Hawthorn – on William Street
Please remember to wear sensible shoes, weather appropriate clothing and to take care through out the walk as there are uneven surfaces.
About your Guide Elizabeth Love, who has deep family roots in Hawthorn and a passion for preserving its stories, the walk will explore the geography, gardens, remarkable homes, and local legends that shaped Hawthorn.
