Women of the past were so often left unheard. Women who stood beside their husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons — day after day, season after season — shaping the very foundations we stand on today. Whittlesea's origin story is told through the eyes of the women who lived it. Their labour, their resilience, their humour, …
A story worth telling: Mallee project shares its success A country Victorian project that has captured more than 120 life stories from older people is now hoping to inspire other communities to preserve their own living histories. Every family and every community has older people whose stories help explain who we are and where we …
Join us on Saturday and Sunday 3-4 October, for Exploring the foundations of rural Victorian townships: a focus on Kilmore and Lancefield Brought to you the Historical Society Support Committee and co-hosted by Romsey & Lancefield Districts Historical Society and Kilmore Historical Society. When early settlers arrived in a rural or regional district, the first …
Exploring the foundations of rural Victorian townships Read More »
Dancing Through the Decades is a vibrant exploration of dance as a powerful form of cultural expression across the City of Hume, spanning from early settlement to the present day. The exhibition reveals how dance has shaped identity, storytelling, and community connection, highlighting its enduring place in social life. Beginning with early local settlements in …
Visit the Inverleigh Mechanics Institute to look at the historic building and contents and the Inverleigh Historical Society collection. Enjoy our interactive display 'Remember When...', a chat with our members, and a cuppa.
Long before 'Fashions on the Field' began in 1962, Melburnians were dressing elegantly, colourfully—and sometimes outrageously—for the annual racing season. Racewear has evolved alongside racing itself, shaped by shifting fashion trends, weather, and global influences. Join fashion historian and author Nicole Jenkins at Brighton Historical Society for an illustrated talk exploring how London models, style …
Mr Norman Houghton will explore the history of the Geelong Club, one of the city’s most significant institutions. Drawing on historical records and anecdotes, he will examine the Club’s development, its role in the social and civic life of Geelong, and its connections with the people and events that helped shape the region.
In 1938 the Kyeema crashed into Mt Dandenong killing all aboard. For many years, it was considered to be Australia's worst air disaster. Join our Local History team to learn what happened and why this crash played such a pivotal roll in aviation safety protocols in Australia. Book your spot at The Kyeema Disaster: …
Erica and District Historical Society are excited to be hosting the book launch of historian Mike McCarthy's latest book, 'The Tucker Truck came on Tuesdays' about the timber industry in Erica, its sawmills, tramways and people. When the Moe – Walhalla narrow-gauge railway was opened in 1910 it provided an outlet for a vast quantity …
Join us for an intimate conversation with Shrine Trustees and Governors, 25 years after Operation Slipper. Hosted by Shrine of Remembrance Chair, Major General (Retd) Andrew Bottrell AO, CSC & Bar, DSM, with reflections from Shrine Governors Squadron Leader Rebekah (Bek) Herron (Retd), Christopher May OAM and Captain Paul Scott, RAN, share in the stories …
Sale Family History Group Talk- Doctors in Sale Region Sale or Flooding Creek, as was known in the early days, had many good doctors over the years and the stories of five of them will be detailed in the talk by Heather Pocknall of the Sale Family History Group. Early Doctor’s Arbuckle, Ewing, Rennie, Hedley …
Doctors in the Gippsland Region- Informative Talk Read More »
People, Plans and Places at the Victoria Police Museum is a new exhibition showcasing never-before seen architectural drawings of police buildings and gives a glimpse into the stories of police officers and their families who lived and worked in these buildings. Highlights include the original hand painted wallpaper from one of the earliest police stations …
Curators talk – People, Plans and Places at the Victoria Police Museum Read More »
Steven Barlow from the Heidelberg Historical Society will outline the artists who came to Heidelberg in the 1880s and 1890s to paint local landscapes "En plein air" and what the local area was like at this time. Discover the stories, people and events that have shaped Heidelberg's unique identity in this fascinating local history conversation at Rosanna …
Discover the life and legacy of Miss May Moon MBE, a passionate conservationist and formidable advocate for the Dandenong Ranges. This talk explores her journey from kindergarten teacher to founder of the Save the Dandenongs League in 1950, and the influences behind her lasting impact. Bookings Essential. Confirm your spot at https://events.yourlibrary.vic.gov.au/event?id=83215
Told in folk songs will be the story of Wangaratta. How abundant fertile land, lush grass and abundant water created 'Port Phillip Fever'. Settlers arrived in wagon trains to squat on vast tracts of land, paying 10 pounds a year in rent. It was inevitable that Ovens Crossing would become a settlement and Wangaratta was …
Is 'queer' history urban history? The urban/rural divide has long characterised histories of sexuality and gender: defining cities as spaces of a vibrant queer subculture, and the rural or regional as empty sites to be escaped. The expansion of pastoral and mining interests in nineteenth-century Victoria, however, made non-urban instances of sexual and gender transgression …
Beyond the Cities of the Plain: Settler Sexuality and Gender on Victoria’s Goldfields Read More »
At a time when most women were expected to be homemakers, Edna Walling was a pioneer in Australian landscape architecture through much of the 20th century for many notable clients. A woman who challenged societies' expectations and did it her way. But who was the woman who designed and built some of Australia's most iconic …
Historian and author Dr David Rowe will discuss themes from his acclaimed work About Corayo: A Thematic History of Greater Geelong (2021). His presentation will examine the many threads that have contributed to the growth and character of Greater Geelong, offering fresh perspectives on the region’s Indigenous, environmental, social and civic history.
Join local resident and President of the Mooroolbark History Group Marion Stott OAM as she takes us for a journey through Mooroolbark's history including all the developments of the town and the station from the mid 1800s onwards. Bookings Essential - secure your spot at https://events.yourlibrary.vic.gov.au/staff/bookings?id=82255
Over Saturday and Sunday 17 and 18 October, local historical societies in Balnarring, Dromana, Flinders, Hastings, Mornington, Sorrento, Somerville, and Tyabb will host local displays and museum experiences across the Peninsula. ------- Join in the fun on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October at Mount Martha House and participating local historical societies across the Peninsula …
Our Stories Heritage Open Weekend – Living the 60s and 70s Read More »
Automotive Historians Australia presents Chris Davison in Conversation with Tony Lupton Few Australian families are as woven into the history of motor racing as the Davisons. Lex Davison won the Australian Grand Prix four times and claimed the first-ever CAMS Gold Star, all while running the family shoe business by day. His wife Diana was …
Over Saturday and Sunday 17 and 18 October, local historical societies in Balnarring, Dromana, Flinders, Hastings, Mornington, Sorrento, Somerville, and Tyabb will host local displays and museum experiences across the Peninsula. ------- Join in the fun on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October at Mount Martha House and participating local historical societies across the Peninsula …
Our Stories Heritage Open Weekend – Living the 60s and 70s Read More »
An illustrated talk presented by Jean Rotherham on the evolution of the grocery shopping experience from the 1860s to the 1960s
Hawthorn History Week 2026 runs from Monday 19 to Friday 23 October 2026, daily from 11.00 am to 2.00 pm at the Library Lounge, Hawthorn Town Hall, 360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn. Hosted by the Hawthorn Historical Society, the week offers a welcoming space to explore exhibitions, talks, photographs and local stories that reveal how Hawthorn has …
Hawthorn History Week 2026 – your invitation to step into history Read More »
Please join Sue Thomson, who will talk about the process of writing your family history. Sue recently self-published a novel 'Fighting the shadows : the story of Elizabeth Welborn' based on the story of her fourth great-grandmother Elizabeth Church, using findings from DNA and many years of research. Bookings Essential. SEcure your spot at https://events.yourlibrary.vic.gov.au/event?id=82257
This presentation by historian Liz Yewers traces the remarkable transformation of Hawthorn from a small riverside settlement into one of Melbourne’s most significant municipalities. The talk is part of Hawthorn History Week delivered by Hawthorn Historical Society during History Month. Book your seat at https://www.trybooking.com/DONZC
Yarra Birrarung: Artists, Writers and the River, by Dr Judith Buckrich is an illustrated history of life on the Yarra River published in 2024. Through the lens of artists and writers, the book explores how life has flourished on the river, including recreation, industry and land use, as well as infrastructure, natural history and social …
We will be selecting four objects from our museum and sharing their significance and the story that each tells about the history of our community and its people.
Discover with Liz Yewers how to uncover the history of your home using maps, rate books, newspapers, photographs and other records. Take home the Hawthorn Historical Society's How to Research Your Home guide. The talk is part of Hawthorn History Week delivered by Hawthorn Historical Society during History Month. Secure your spot at https://www.trybooking.com/DOOAV
Updated for 2026, The Light on the Hill is Ross McMullin’s acclaimed commissioned history of the ALP. It covers all states and the federal scene comprehensively and accurately while maximising liveliness and readability. The research is prodigious, the narrative is action-packed, and the scope and span of the coverage is sweeping. The "warts-and-all" story is told …
Discover the lives of three of Hawthorn’s extraordinary Women of Influence-Dame Dr Kate Campbell, Doris Blackburn and Nancy Weir- and learn more about their contribution to medicine, social reform, education, and the arts. The talk is part of Hawthorn History Week delivered by Hawthorn Historical Society during History Month.
Updated for 2026, The Light on the Hill is Ross McMullin’s acclaimed commissioned history of the ALP. It covers all states and the federal scene comprehensively and accurately while maximising liveliness and readability. The research is prodigious, the narrative is action-packed, and the scope and span of the coverage is sweeping. The “warts-and-all” story is …
Author talk: Ross McMullin on ‘The Light on the Hill’ Read More »
As we approach Remembrance Day, we invite you to join local resident Iain Townsley who will tell his story - from his many years on the front line in the British Army including in the SAS and how he reclaimed his Scottish heritage and became a piper who has performed at many local military ceremonies. …
The RMIT Australian Screen Research Collection Salon celebrates milestones in Asian Australian filmmaking through an exclusive in-conversation event with pioneers of the topic: Professor Olivia Khoo and director/producer Tony Ayres. Moderated by this year’s research fellow Dr Scarlette Nhi Do, the guests will discuss stories we tell about Asian migration to Australia and the accompanying …
Close Encounters: Intimacies and Asian Australian Cinema Read More »
The Flagstaff Gardens has had an interesting history both before and since it became a public space in 1862. Join retired Flagstaff Gardens' tour guide Chris to hear about the fascinating history and the many transformations that have occurred on the site since white settlement of the area in 1835 and before. Bookings Essential. Secure …
In April 1941, Australian and New Zealand troops fought a series of desperate delaying actions during the Allied withdrawal through Greece. At Thermopylae and nearby Brallos Pass, they defended ground already indelibly associated with one of the most famous last stands of the ancient world. But what happens to a battle after the fighting ends? …
Holding the Line: Thermopylae, Brallos Pass, and the Making of Memory Read More »
