Bibliography, ill, maps, p.692.non-fictionThis landmark book explores the richness and diversity of Australian military history, which has had a profound impact on the development of Australia. The two world wars - destructive yet often ennobling commitments for the young nation - have been the most important experiences for several generations of Australians, but military considerations and obligations have had a pervasive influence throughout Australian history. Just as it would be impossible to form a proper understanding of that history without due consideration of Gallipoli, the Kokoda Track, and conscription, it would be difficult to exaggerate the abiding influence of the 'digger' and the Anzac legend. From the beginnings of European settlement and the violence that accompanied it, to the more recent engagement of Australian forces in the Gulf War and peace-keeping operations in Africa, military questions have been a constant theme in the story of Australia. Anzac and Gallipoli are well-known names in the consciousness, but they can only be fully appreciated if examined in a wider context. This book does just that, providing a detailed analysis of Australian military achievements and an assessment of the importance of war in Australian history. The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History covers all aspects of this complex and fascinating subject. It contains more than 800 individual entries, written by leading military historians. All the major campaigns and battles are examined, along with significant military and civilian figures, such as Thomas Blamey, John Monash, John Curtin, Albert Jacka and Charles Bean. There are articles on weapons and weapons systems and on the development of the individual services and their component parts. The roles of industry, science and technology are analysed, and a series of essay-length articles discusses key aspects of our military legacy, including military humour and the impact of war on Australian film, television and literature. Here, then, is the most comprehensive guide to Australian military history, ranging from the colonial period to the 1990s. The Companion is supplemented by 100 photographs and by more than 30 maps. It is an indispensable source for students, specialists and general readers alike. Collapse summary australia - armed forces - history, australia - armed forces - encyclopaedias

Index, bib, ill, notes, p.288.non-fictionBefore the First World War most Australians shared the emotions and traditions of the British Empire. Proud of their British heritage, anxious to raise the Imperial status of Australia, they were eager to fight and, if need be, to die in defence of their race and country. But the horror and tragedy of the conflict brought fundamental changes in outlook. Many of the pre-war enthusiasms persisted, but the days of unquestioning allegiance to Empire were beginning to come to an end, to be replaced by the bittersweet tradition of Anzac. Dr Gammage shows how and why these changes took place. Using the diaries and letters of one thousand front-line soldiers of the First Australian Imperial Force, most of them now part of a unique collection housed in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, he reconstructs the motives and expectations with which these men volunteered and the experiences they encountered. He highlights and examines the new attitudes to war and to the homeland that developed and foreshadows the important effects in Australia of the changed outlook brought home by the survivors. Those who have returned from war will recognise immediately the raw realities faced by the 'diggers', the growing disillusionment, and the hopes for the future. Those with fathers, husbands, or brothers who served, and all those concerned with what happens to men at war, cannot fail to be moved by the simple dignity of the men{u2019}s accounts, or by the understated courage with which they wrote to their families of the miseries they endured. This book, written with sensitivity and scholarly care, must be read if we are to understand war and its impact on the ethos of a nation. world war 1914-1918 - personal correspondence, world war 1914-1918 - social conditions

Index, ill, map, p.240non-fictionThis comprehensive and balanced account provides a highly original look at the emotive impact of the first 'media' war, charting not only the course of the war in Vietnam, but also seeking to place American involvement in Vietnam in historical perspective. The book also includes first-hand testimony on the highly charged issue of American personnel who went missing in action. vietnam conflict 1961-1975 - history, vietnam war 1961-1975 - us involvement

Index, bib, ill, maps, p.224.Within three months of the Japanese entering World War II on December 8, 1941 over 22 000 Australians had become prisoners-of-war. They went into camps in Timor, Ambon, New Britain, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Singapore and Malaya, and a few were scattered to other points in what was briefly part of the Japanese empire. Later most of the prisoners were to be shifted further north into South-east Asia, Formosa, Korea, Manchuria and Japan itself. They were captives within lands and cultures and to experiences alien to those known to all other Australians. At the end of the war in August 1945, 14315 servicemen and thirty service women were alive to put on new, loose-fitting uniforms and go home. One in three of the prisoners had died. That is, nearly half of the deaths suffered by Australians in the war in the Pacific were among men and women who had surrendered. Another 8174 Australians had been captured in the fighting in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: but of these men only 265 died as a result of wounds, disease or execution.By any quantitative measure the imprisonment of so many Australians is a major event in Australian history. For many soldiers it was living --and dying --in captivity which made World War II different from that of World War I. But the prisoners have received no permanent place in Australian history. Their story is not immediately recalled on celebratory occasions. In a general history of the nation in which a chapter is given to the war the prisoners might be mentioned in a sentence, or part of a sentence. Where the horror, stoicism and gallantry of Gallipoli have become part of a common tradition shared by all Australians, the ex-prisoners are granted just the horror. The public may be sympathetic; but the horror is for the prisoners alone. To make another comparison: in five months of fighting on the Kokoda Trail in 1942 the Australians lost 625 dead, less than the number who died on Ambon. Yet the events on Ambon are unknown to most Australians. There were no reporters or cameramen on Ambon and, for the 309 who defended Ambon's Laha airfield, no survivors. How many of them died in battle or died as prisoners will never be known. But there are more than just practical reasons why the record of the prisoners of war is so slight and uneven in the general knowledge of Australians. They have not tried to find out. No historian has written a book to cover the range of camps and experiences, and only in specialist medical publications has anyone investigated the impact of prison life on subsequent physical and mental health. The complexity of the experience and its impact on particular lives have not been expressed in a way to give them significance for other Australians.world war 1939 – 1945 - prisons and prisoners – japanese, world war 1939-1945 - personal narrativies - australia

Index, bib, ill, p.558.Packed with insight and terrific spy stories, this masterly book looks at the secret war on a global basis, bringing together the British, American, German, Russian and Japanese histories. In 'The Secret War', Max Hastings examines the espionage and intelligence machines of all sides in World War II, and the impact of spies, code-breakers and partisan operations on events. Written on a global scale, the book brings together accounts from British, American, German, Russian and Japanese sources to tell the story of a secret war waged unceasingly by men and women often far from the battlefields but whose actions profoundly influenced the outcome. world war 1939-1945 - espionage, world war 1914-1918 - secret service

Index, ill, maps, p.256.This history of the war has commentary on the political and economic factors leading to the conflict, the key turning points of the war and the impact of new technologies. Colour campaign maps and battle plans complement the description of every major battle on land and at sea, along with analysis of the success and failure of the various military strategies. It focuses on the key military figures who shaped the course of the war and describes all of the most successful weapons of war, with a specification box on each weapon providing key technical details.world war 1939-1945 - history, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns

The "Dead Man's Penny" of Private George Matthews (24/1744) is a district link to the First World War. George enlisted with the Otago Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force as a rifleman. Born in 1891, he was a former pupil of Myrtleford State School 955 and was one of four first cousins killed in action and recorded in a memorial window and honour board at the Uniting (formerly Methodist) Church, the Soldier's Memorial Square and on the State School Honour Board. George's parents, John and Mary Matthews,received the plaque in a pack, together with a letter and commemorative scroll from King George V. George Matthews is buried at the Caterpillar Valley (N.Z.) Memorial, France, having died on October 1, 1916, aged 25. The memorial plaque links local family tragedy to world conflict. It represents the impact of such events must have had on small town communities. George Matthews' enlistment in New Zealand is an indicator of the migratory nature of men involved in gold mining after the decline of the industry in Victoria and New South Wales in the late 19th centuryA World War 1 memorial plaque issued to next-of-kin of all British and Empire service personnel who died as a result of the war. They were round and cast in bronze, hence their similarity to the much smaller penny coin. The plaque includes an image of Britannia, holding a trident and standing with a lion. Britannia holds an oak leaf above the deceased's name, which is recorded without rank. Two dolphins swim around Britannia, symbolizing sea power, and at the base a second lion is tearing apart the German eagle. Around the picture a legend reads: "He died for freedom and Honour"Name engraved: GEORGE MATTHEWSmemorial plaque dead man's penny george matthews

Private James Edward Matthews (3174) was one of four first cousins living in the Myrtleford district killed during World War 1. He was in the 60th Battalion, A.I.F. action at Fromelles, France, and was killed in action, aged 19 years, on July 19,1916. He was the son of Richard and James Matthews of Myrtleford and has no known grave, but is "Remembered with Honour" at V.C. Corner, Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles. James attended Myrtleford State School 955; his death is recorded on honour boards at the Uniting (formerly Methodist) Church, the school honour board and at the Soldier's memoral Square. A memorial window at the church includes names of the four cousins.The portrait reminds viewers of the youth of many A.I.F. volunteers, the outcome of actions such as that at Fromelles in 1916 and the impact on families in small communities. It also relates to the ongoing search for identifiable remains of those personnel without a known resting place. Framed original sepia photograph, head and shoulders, of World War 1 soldier in full dress uniform.James E. Matthews, 60th Battalion, Killed in Action, 19 July, 1916. Photography: Talma & Co., Melb.james matthews 60th battalion fromelles

I grew up in the Vietnam era. I was a teenager during that most turbulent of times, but feel most of the impact of the protest movement passed me by as it did so many of my contemporaries.vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 - paticipation, australian

I grew up in the Vietnam era. I was a teenager during that most turbulent of times, but feel most of the impact of the protest movement passed me by as it did so many of my contemporaries.vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 - participation, australian

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph of 1st ATF Artillery Intelligence Officer Sgt Paul Butcher (from Doncaster, Vic) watched by Capt Tony Easton (from Kirribilli, NSW) pound a stake into an impact area of a NVA/VietCong 107mm rocket after an overnight attack by enemy gunners on the 1st ATF Base (29th March 1969).photograph, sgt paul butcher, capt tony eaton, 1st atf base, artillery intelligence officer, nva/vc, gibbons collection catalogue, 107mm rocket, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war

Written from the 1966 logbook of Bob Grandin, Huey helicopter pilot and co-pilot in Nui Dat, during the Vietnam War, including his involvement in resupply during the battle of Long Tan. Newspaper articles and photographs feature throughout. The narrative also covers the impact of the war on Bob's psyche and relationships, and his struggle with PTSD.australia. royal australian air force. squadron, 9, vietnam war, 1961-1975 -- veterans -- australia -- biography, helicopter - huey, nui dat, battle of long tan, ptsd

Nearly twenty years after Australia left Vietnam, there is still no consensus on its conduct or consequences. A new war in the Middle East has raised old ghosts, and the world was assured that it would no be 'another Vietnam'.vietnamese conflict, 1961 - 1975 - influence

A Vietnam War combat memoir from the perspective of an artilleryman. 1961-1975 - campaigns, vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 - personal narratives

Built in 1942-1943, the Thai-Burma Railway was a 415 kilometre stretch of railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma. It was constructed by the Japanese using civilian labourers and prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that 90,000 labourers and more than 12,000 POW’s died during construction of the railway.This is a commemorative object highlighting the role of medical personnel during the war and its impact on them personally and preofessionallyThis dogspike and its attached sleeper came from the Thai-Burma Railway. A dogspike is a rail fastening with a pointed end and a ‘plate holding’ head, giving the impression of a dog’s head. Built in 1942-1943, the Thai-Burma Railway was a 415 kilometre stretch of railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma. It was constructed by the Japanese using civilian labourers and prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that 90,000 labourers and more than 12,000 POW’s died during construction of the railway. The dogspike was donated by Bill Sharp in 2014. It commemorates the Australian Medical personnel who became prisoners-of-war. they are listed on the plaque behind the spike.thai-burma, japanese, 1942-43, commemorative gift

The rocket struck and exploded with a thunderous impact. hambleton, iceal e, united states. air force - biography

Essays on the War, the South Vietnamese Experience, the Diaspora and the Continuing Impact.Essays on the War, the South Vietnamese Experience, the Diaspora and the Continuing Impact.vietnam war (1961-1975), vietnam war - influence, south vietnam, republic of vietnam, indigenous soldiers

Peter Edwards splendidly researched, authoritative study is official history at its best. By explaining the sources of Australia's commitment in Vietnam, and the impact of that commitment in Australia, it does a great deal to elucidate the larger, international dimensions of a war that is too often discussed only in terms of the primary participants.australia - foreign relations - southeast asia, south east asia

Mother Earth was created by modernist era sculptor George Allen. It is located in the western median strip at the intersection of Sturt and Raglan Streets. Made from Hawksbury stone on a granite base, the sculptor has created a female figure as the centrepiece, with two reliefs figures at the front and rear depicting a miner and a farmer. The work was created in commemoration of Mr Frank Pinkerton, an esteemed local lawyer in Ballarat. George Allen won the commission to design and execute the Pinkerton Statue in open competition in 1949. The statue is a significant work of one of Victoria's leading sculptors of the mid twentieth century, and controversy at the time surrounding its installation reflects the general attitude of the period to progressive public sculpture.Mother Earth was classified as regionally significant by the National Trust in 2003. The statement of significance below ha been provided by the National Trust, Victoria: The Pinkerton Statue by George Allen is of a simplified female figure which symbolises 'Earth', with smaller figures representing Mining and Agriculture carved in bas-relief at its base. The statue is carved in Hawkesbury Freestone and mounted on a granite plinth. It is located in a prominent position in central Ballarat. The statue in commemoration of Mr. Frank Pinkerton, an esteemed local lawyer, erected in Ballarat in 1952 is significant for aesthetic and social reasons at a Regional level. The statue is a significant example of the work of one of Victoria's leading sculptors of the mid twentieth century, and the controversy at the time surrounding its installation reflects the general attitude of the period to progressive public sculptures. George Allen won the commission to design and execute the Pinkerton Statue in open competition in 1949 against a large group of his peers. Following this. Allen was again successful in another major competition to design the National War Memorial for the Forecourt of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne in 1951. Allen chose to work in a 'symbolic' manner using simplified forms with little detail, and relying on the strength of composition, 'boldness of statement' and the consideration of material for impact. Because of its lack of realism the Pinkerton Statue engendered much controversy, particularly within the popular press at the time, although it was generally appreciated in artistic circles. Allen had travelled extensively in Europe in the late 1930's, but his work mainly reflected influences from early modem sculptors in the United Kingdom such as Frank Dobson and Eric Gill. The Pinkerton Statue was the first example of modem sculpture to be erected in Ballarat and is an excellent example Allen's own work and the changing artistic culture of the period. Allen himself said that it reflected the "spirit of the time". A large Hawkesbury Freestone statue of a female figure and smaller figures representing Mining and Agriculture carved in bas-relief at its base. The statue is mounted on a granite plinth.CENTRAL FIGURE EARTH EMERGING FROM RELIEF FIGURES REPRESENTING THE INDUSTRIES OF MINING AND AGRICULTURE.pinkerton, mother earth

Yields information about the approach of the SEC to one man trams, the history, issues and impacts on the costs of operation., Yields information about the approach of the SEC to one man trams, the history, issues and impacts on the costs of operation.Set of three memorandum concerning the operation of one-man trams. All with rounded corners. .1 - Memo dated 23/5/1962, forwarding various documents re one-man trams. .2 - Report to the Acting Secretary (TRB?) - looking at the use of one-man trams in order to have economies, issues, problems with traffic, problems of one door in use, safety, costs of duplication, savings, cheaper to run buses. .3 - Report - looks at the history of one-man trams, ESCo, fare boxes, post war, unions, bogie trams, and the Eaglehawk line. trams, tramways, closure, letters, one man trams, unions, history, fare boxes, esco

Demonstrates the aspect of petrol rationing in Australia during the second world war and the impact it had on tram passengers.Set of ten (sheet of 8 + sheet of 2) 10 gallons Ration Coupons for Motor spirit (Petrol), printed on off white paper with purple ink with the state of issue "Vic" shown. Expires 31/7/1949, probably printed early 1949. Required the consumer or user to endorse it with name, licence number and vehicle registration number. Petrol rationing used in Australia from Oct. 1940 to Feb. 1950 - for a detailed article see - https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/journal/j36/petrol accessed 29/5/2019. and https://www.ozrevenues.com/Revenue-Railway-Local-Perfin-Catalogue/Australia-WWII-Petrol-Ration-Tickets.html (accessed 29/5/2019) trams, tramways, commonwealth government, rationing, world war i

Shows a view of Sturt St c1910, with two trams and horse drawn carts, shows the a busy foreground scene. Has a very poignant message on the rear about the impact of the Great War.Printed coloured postcard of the Sturt St looking west from Grenville St. Has the two ESCO trams in the photograph, two horse drawn carts, cycles and pedestrians. In the middle of the photograph is the ESCo tramway waiting shelter, constructed in 1907. Has the Suttons building and D'Albora? buildings lettered in the photograph. The red printing layer is off register. The rear of the postcard has a central vertical line, with the word "Post Card" at the top, "Printed in Germany" on the left hand side and the number "B379 10" in the bottom right hand corner. Titled "Sturt Street, Ballarat looking West." along top edge of the photo. On the rear of the photograph has the words in pencil "Australia" and the message "Ballarat is a city in Victoria. Mother, my two late Brothers, youngest brother and I were there in 1914, in Oct, just after the War Commenced. My second Brother and the first of the two to lose his life, enlisted when returned from Ballarat. Sturt is Ballarat's main street." No signature or date. trams, tramways, sturt st, postcards, esco, grenville st, world war 1

Five copies of a Statistical Statement for Ballarat Tramways from 1935 to 1970, typed on foolscap paper (original and four carbon copies), titled "Statistical Statement 1935-1970". Prepared 16 July 1971, with initials "LJD:GM" in top right hand corner. Gives Income, Expenditure, Loss, Passengers and Car Miles for each year ended 30th June for each year from 1935 to 1970. Has notes (a) to (k), on notes re period of capital reconstruction charges, world war II impacts, fare increases dates. Images of document added 27-08-12.trams, tramways, fares, accounting, ballarat tramways, passengers

This interview was recorded in May 2016 as part of the Wounded Soldier exhibition. The Wounded Soldier ran in November 2016, exploring No. 11 Australian General Military Hospital (later Caulfield Hospital) and its impact on Glen Eira's community during and after the First World War. The audio file catalogued here is an edited excerpt from the larger interview, designed for use in the exhibition. Deirdre Farrell trained as a nurse at Caulfield Hospital in the 1960's. Her father Les Campbell was a First World War veteran, and Deirdre grew up on a soldier settlement farm. This interview explores her childhood, her relationship with her father, her experience of repatriation medicine and her memories of Caulfield Hospital. This oral history is significant as the firsthand testimony of the child of a First World War veteran and for its recollections of Caulfield Hospital in the 1960's. Digital recording of an oral history interview taken by Cameron Auty with Deirdre Farrell. Supplementary files include photographs of Deirdre's father Les Campbell, a WWI veteran, Les' service record and a research file created by Deirdre.glen eira, caulfield, deirdre farrell, wwi, oral history, first world war, soldier settlement

The purpose of this history has been to present a narrative account of Hawthorn's Chinese in the decades leading up to and immediately after Federation, and to examine the impact of this event on a minority group in one of nineteenth-century Melbourne's fledging suburbs.chinese, hawthorn, sue slonek, mary sheehan, diane nicholas

Basket weaving and brush making was a source of income for those who worked in the workshops at RVIB and other institutions in New South Wales and Queensland. A diverse range products could be produced with cane, such as cane chairs, cots, washing baskets and trolleys, and the Institution sought to highlight these in the annual report. Over time the demand for, and supply of, cane changed - particularly during World War 2 when Asian sources were under attack or destroyed. At home, other materials such as plastics as well as the ability to import cheaper pre-produced products further reduced the demand for workshop pieces. A milk bottle basket was designed for milkmen to deliver their wares quickly from door to door, without the bottles impacting upon each other. The milk basket was made in the basket shop of the RVIB for use in the organisation. It was used to carry milk bottles, then containers to the various tea rooms and could have been part of the kitchen equipment for the RVIBCane basket with handle and dividers to carry milk bottlesroyal victorian institute for the blind, equipment, employment

Book

Common every day items food used by the ADF in combat situations. This shows the combat ration one man that has been used by the ADF since the Vietnam War era. The CR1M consists of two main meals, various light snacks, sundry and beverage items. The CR1M is designed to provide the daily nutritional value to sustain a soldier over a 24 hour period. Failure to consume all food items with this period will impact upon functional energy levels due to an unbalanced nutrition intake. Excluding tea and coffee aal food items are consumable either hot or cold. It is advised to fill one cup canteen with water, immerse one 250g main meal pouch and heat for 10 - 15 minutes. For heat source use use issued hexamine stove and tablets. residual boiled water is safe and may be used for hot beverage makingCombat Ration One Man (24 hour). Sealed in a clear plastic bag with the letter 'C' printed in blue on the front (indicating that contents are menu 'C'). This pack includes small packages of supplies in various shapes and sizes, including: M and M's chocolate, potato with onion powder, sweetened condensed milk, cream spread, tea bags, safety matches and toilet paper. Front - Blue text - C / NOT FOR PRIVATE RESALE TO PUBLIC ration pack, consumables, supplies

"The outbreak of World War I in August 1914 had an immediate impact on communities across Australia, and it was no different in Melton. Young men began enlisting immediately, and Australia’s initial offer of 20,000 troops was soon exceeded by Victorian enlistments alone. Over the four years of the war, approximately 114,000 Victorians enlisted and around 91,000 servicemen and women were sent overseas. They came not just from Melbourne, but from all over the state; from farms, small towns and suburban areas. They included locals, newly arrived migrants and Indigenous people. The Australian home front was a hive of activity throughout the war, and the Melton community played its part. Following the announcement that Australia was joining the war with Great Britain and its allies on 5 August 1914, the Melton community lost no time in launching into action. A meeting ‘to assist the Red Cross fund’ was held in the Melton Mechanics’ Institute hall on 18 August – just days after the outbreak of the war. Collectors were appointed for each corner of the shire and individual donations were made. A Melton branch of the Australian Red Cross Society was formed in June 1915 and focused its energies on raising funds to purchase material that was used to make clothes for sick and wounded soldiers. A depot was established in Melton to collect clothing and other ‘comfort’ items for the soldiers – including reading material, tobacco, linen, canned foods and soap – and to coordinate the branch’s work and activities. Local cab driver Percival Stubbs volunteered to transport all the packages to the Melton railway station, until he enlisted and departed for the front in 1916. Such were the numbers of people getting involved that branches were also established in Toolern Vale and Rockbank. Regular community events were held to farewell soldiers who were leaving on active service and to welcome those who returned home. Gunner Robert (Bob) Wynne, whose uncle’s family ran the general store in Toolern Vale, was presented with a pair of field glasses (binoculars), a gold watch, inscribed locket and autographed letter by the Toolern Vale community before he set sail for the front in 1916. His mother noted that he ‘sailed away in good spirits with a smile till out of sight’. From June 1915 to June 1919, the Melton Red Cross branch donated 2,156 pairs of socks, 1,357 shirts, 425 kit bags, 251 pillowslips, 224 towels and 121 pairs of pajamas. Countless fundraising events were held, including jumble fairs, concerts and gift evenings. Local schools also encouraged students to contribute through fund-raising and making and collecting comforts for the soldiers. People across the country engaged in similar activities, but Victoria’s rural communities found unique ways of contributing. In Melton, people were encouraged to send rabbits and hares ‘in good condition’ to an exporter in Spencer Street, for export to Belgium ‘for the relief of those suffering". Special Anzac Memorial article featured in the Star Weeklylocal identities, war

"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