The Geelong Naval Reserve Band was active in the early 1900's. Having been formed and reformed many times, the band consolidated its presence in the town and performed at many concerts and parades. There were a number of brass bands in Geelong at the time.This photo represents one of the earliest pictures of this band. It isn't a well-known band in Victoria so any information on the band is scarce. However, activities of the band were noted in local Geelong newspapers.Rectangular black and white photograph mounted on card.W. H. Watts, Photogeelong naval reserve band, geelong, victoria, royal australian navy, brass band, geelong west brass band

The Victorian Bands' League was officially founded on the 10th of April, 1931. This new organisation quickly gained the affliations of all brass bands in Victoria and took over the control of bands from the Victorian Bands' Association. The new VBL started presenting massed bands events at the MCG and ran competitions around Victoria. This program pamphlet is a unique example of the style of massed bands events that were held at the MCG with 24 brass bands all marching into the ground and performing a number of items individually or in groups. This would have been quite a spectacle! This small program is very significant to the banding history in Victoria. It provides a wealth of information as to the bands that existed in 1933 as well as what they played, and how the VBL organised events. As well as this, there is evidence of a large number of metropolitan bands as well as bands from country areas.Small printed pamphlet on thin paper.victorian bands' league, melbourne cricket ground, malvern tramway junior, malvern tramways band, stonnington city brass, coburg west boys, prahran city, kingsville and yarraville citizens', footscray city, footscray-yarraville city brass, coburg city, northcote citizens and soldiers', essendon citizens', moonee valley brass band, geelong city, terang brass, geelong west city, south melbourne city, reservoir citizens', st. kilda city, oakleigh city, oakleigh band, hawthorn city, kensington district, brunswick city, moreland city band, moorabbin shire, metropolitan fire brigade, sunshine district, sunshine community brass, kew city, kynetown town

This is an extremely significant document highlighting the operations of the Victorian Bands' League in only its third year. Here we have an Annual General Meeting notice and report which would have been sent to all bands and delegates. It outlines the business of the league up until this date and the financial details. It is evident that a number of bandsmen from all over Victoria took an interest in the league given the locations and bands of the office bearers.This AGM notice is extremely significant to the history of the Victorian Bands' League due to the information that's contained and the style of presentation. It is unclear whether other AGM notices still survive which makes this rare notice very valuable for research purposes.Printed on stiff papervictorian bands' league, brunswick city, warrnambool municipal, collingwood citizens', warracknabeal and district, mentone citizens', northcote citizens' and soldiers', heidelberg municipal, south melbourne city, williamstown city, yallourn and district, shepparton and district, geelong west city, terang brass, hamilton town, stawell brass, metropolitan fire brigade