Historical information

The Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria commenced teacher training in 1909. A two year course was run in cooperation with the Education Department in 1910-14, but from 1917 the Union trained its students independently. In 1922 the Kindergarten Training College was established in Mooroolbeek, Kew. In 1965, the institution, as the Melbourne Kindergarten Teachers' College, became an entity separate from the Union, and in 1973 joined the State College of Victoria as the Institute of Early Childhood Development. It subsequently amalgamated with the University of Melbourne to become the Department of Early Childhood Studies and moved from Madden Grove, Kew, to 234 Queensberry St, Carlton, early in July 1997.

Significance

Commemorative plaque indicating the location of a former Kew mansion

Physical description

Bronze plaque commemorating the location of Mooroolbeek, one of the great mansions of Kew, demolished in 1968 by the Kindergarten Training College

Inscriptions & markings

"The original college building "Mooroolbeek" was the home of Sir Frank Madden Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1904-1917. The crest of the Madden family here inset was removed from "Mooroolbeek" when the building was demolished in 1968."