Articles in annual report includes: President's report, treasurer's report, Association for the blind balance sheet, life governors, Ballarat home report, Bendigo home report, Brighton home report, Blind citizens community centre, volunteers, auxiliaries, youth serves, facts about blindness. In this report, the three broad aims of the organisation (assist with readjustment, retain people in their own home, provide accommodation) is discussed with the need for more government support, the death of Hamish Mackenzie who was highly respected and represented Australia at the World Forum in August 1964, the visit by Sir Rohan and Lady Delacombe to the Ballarat home, opening of a hostel for 5 people at 25 New Street - at the rear of the Brighton Home, Granny Carson celebrated turning 102, approval for extension of Blind Citizens Community Centre is complete and building of the two storey building will finally progress at the end of the year, and the existing clubhouse modernised and painted.1 volume of text and black and white illustrationsassociation for the blind, h.m. lightfoot, hamish mackenzie, hubert opperman, sir rohan delacombe, granny carson, annual reports

"The Mechanics Institute movement flourished in Victoria from 1839 to 1950. It was based on the development of Mechanics’ Institutes in Scotland and England from the 1820s, which were intended to educate and enlighten the working classes. The term ‘mechanic’ in those days meant an artisan, craftsman or working man, especially those who had moved from rural areas to work in new city factories during the Industrial Revolution. The early Institutes were usually equipped with a reading room, a library and a lecture room. Although enjoying mixed success in Britain, they contributed to the development of public education and library services. The movement was adopted more enthusiastically in the colonies. It began slowly in Victoria but its expansion after the gold rushes population influx was rapid, especially in rural areas. Every suburb and town wanted to have a Mechanics’ Institute. During the 1850s approximately forty Institutes were established, with even greater growth in the period 1860 to 1900. By 1900 there were 400 Institutes in Victoria. The establishment of a Mechanics’ Institute was often a great achievement for a local community, requiring organising committees to raise substantial funds for a building site (where this had not been granted by the Government), and the building. Once built, the committee then had to purchase books, provide a caretaker or librarian, and finance the ongoing use of and improvements to the building. ‘The history of many Institutes is a story of tremendous community effort, and often, financial difficulties’. In addition to being monuments to local enterprise and community life, the Mechanics’ Institutes played a vital role as an intellectual forum, and in contributing to an informed and participatory democracy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They provided journals and other reading matter on local, state, national and international issues, and hosted of lectures and held debates about wider issues such as Federation, colonial nationalism, defence, female suffrage, the price of land and labour. With the development of the school and technical education in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the need for community technical and adult education declined. As a result of the introduction of government library grants in 1867, many Mechanics’ Institutes incorporated a free library in their buildings to finance collection of their books. By 1884-85, there were 257 free libraries in Victoria. However, government support and library grants dropped off in the 1890s depression. Entertainment took on a greater role in the 1890s, with the introduction of moving pictures, billiards rooms, games rooms (chess), concerts and dances. The First World War had a devastating impact on many rural communities, and some Mechanics’ Institutes were no longer viable. On the other hand the early twentieth century was also a time of agricultural development, and many country towns were growing in this period. The 1930s depression further limited growth of many libraries and reduced grants substantially. In response many Mechanics’ Institutes were renamed, for example as memorial halls, in order to retain and attract more patrons (eg at nearby Sunbury). The diminishing role for Mechanics’ Institutes and the preference for larger and better appointed halls (with supper rooms, cloak rooms etc) resulted in demolition of some small Institutes. The advent of cars, radios, and television also provided other opportunities for recreation, learning and entertainment. The greater role of municipalities in providing library services also eroded the need for free libraries. While over 500 Mechanics’ Institutes or halls are extant, very few of these retain their original role as ‘diffusers of useful knowledge’. Most are still available for community purposes, as venues for meetings, socials, civic occasions etc, while others are employed as museums, shops and theatres. Most buildings are on Crown land, and managed by a delegated committee of management, who are responsible for raising revenue to maintain aging buildings. Many of those which were originally established on private land, such as Melton, have since reverted back to the Crown, and municipal Councils. The most common Mechanics Institute building form is the simple weatherboard gable building with iron roofs, notable for their ‘honest simplicity’ rather than as ‘monuments of the ancients’. At the other extreme there are some magnificent two storeyed brick and stucco structures with elaborate ornamentation (as was apparently envisaged by some in Melton in 1905-10)". The future of Melton Mechanic Institute Gazette articlelocal architecture

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's May 1975 meeting, Councillors' reports, Community News... we must keep it going, Kinder news, Progress in social welfare in Diamond Valley, Greenhills Amateur Basketball Club, From the Council Chamber, How to start a compost heap, Letter to the Editor, This and that, The Eltham Living and Learning Centre, Open forum. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 20 p., illus.greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's July 1973 meeting, Councillor's report, Re-cycling Scheme to continue, In the public interest, The subdivision of our district, Open forum, School and Kinder news, Letter to the Editor, Eltham Film Society, Churinga news. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 24 p., illus.greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's June 1973 meeting, Councillor's report, Re-cycling Plan for Diamond Valley, Diamond Valley Repertory, Eltham Film Society, School and Kinder news, The Plenty River: Fricker Avenue Reserve, Open forum,.Newsletter, 24 p., illus.greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's August 1973 meeting, Councillor's report, Diamond Valley Learning Centre, Diamond Valley Repertory, Letter to the editor, Kinder news, Association of Civilian Widows, Open Forum, "How not to do it", Conservation Sub-Committee. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 24 p., illus.greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes articles on Rotaract, Farewell to Harry Nash, From the Council Chamber, Yandell Reserve weed-in, New Hall design, Kinder news, Results of Street poll, Meet the natives, Natural history for young and old [Field Naturalists' Club], Open Forum. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 24 p., illus., mapgreenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's August 1974 meeting, Willis St. restrictive entrance, Farewell to Harry Nash, Marriage counselling in Greensborough, From the Council chamber, School and kinder news, Pentridge, Meet the natives, M.M.B.W. rates. Open Forum. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 20 p., illus.greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's November 1972 meeting, Councillors' reports, Fire prevention in Greenhills, Talking about natives, More trains?, Open Forum, Letter to the Editor. Supplement to November 1972 "Community News" Competition, Plenty River clean-up, Diamond Valley Repertory. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 24 p., illus.greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's October 1972 meeting, Councillor's report, Plenty River report, Yandell Reserve, Talking about natives, Women... were mothers before they clerks School and Kinder news, Open forum, Amnesty International, Waterbirds, Roads report. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 27 p., illus., map.greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

This edition includes a report on the Progress Association's June 1972 meeting, Future of Ashril... still undecided, Mulching and other carry on, School and kinder news, A humanist's viewpoint, Ashril Cinema, Open forum. A digital copy of this Newsletter is available from Greensborough Historical Society.Newsletter, 18 p., illus. greenhills and north greensborough progress association, greenhills

.1 Full colour, A4 report printed on gloss paper, 16 pages, centre stapled titled "Public Transport community consultative Committee - First Annual Report 1993/94", reporting on the Victorian Public Transport Forum, Accessible Transport Consultative Council and the "W class tram implementation monitoring committee". Has a foreword by Alan Brown, provides membership of each Committee, meetings, Consultation, major issues, public transport safety, Upfield railway line, sponsorship of tram shelters and signage, Metcard, fares, public relations, on-train refreshment, First class fares, accessible travel, driver-only trains and trams. The W class committee look at the major issues, tram livery, advertising on the trams, deployment, storage and alternative uses for stored trams. .2 - Full colour, A4 report printed on gloss paper, 16 pages, centre stapled titled "Public Transport community consultative Committee - Annual Report 1997", reporting on the Victorian Public Transport Forum, Accessible Transport Consultative Council, City Circle tram promotion committee and public transport heritage advisory committee. Has forward from Robin Cooper, lists membership of every committee and gives detail of their work and project outcomes.trams, tramways, minister for transport, accessible transport, w class, advertisements, city circle, heritage

On the 19th of October, 1999, the Accessible Cities and Shires Forum was held in Bendigo. In this photo, Chris Stewart, City of Greater Dandenong Diversity Officer, and Shirley Caulfield, CEO of the Arthritis Foundation of Victoria, promote the Diversity Action Plan.COL photo of two people standing close to one another. They are each holding some publications, one of which is titled 'Diversity Action Plan'. [on label, in blue ink] Chris Stewart, City of Greater Dandenong Diversity Officer, and Shirley Caulfield, CEO of Arthritis Victoria at the Bendigo Accessible Communnities Forumshirley caulfield, ceo, arthritis foundation of victoria, afv, chris stewart, diversity officer, city of greater dandenong, accessible communities, diversity action plan, rural access project, accessible cities & shires project, forum, bendigo, 1999