Rare Book Week: The Mysteries and Mayhem of Early Melbourne

Level 1, 188 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Level 1, 188 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Speakers: Jane Sullivan and Lucy Sussex Melbourne has always had its underbelly of crime, inspiring crime fiction detectives from Mary Fortune and Fergus Hume to Peter Temple’s ‘Jack Irish’. Join Jane, whose latest novel Murder in Punch Lane, is a thriller inspired by real events and people in 1868 Melbourne, and Lucy, who in 2025 will publish Outrageous Fortunes, a
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Labassa Open Day

Labassa 2 Manor Grove, Caulfield North, Victoria, Australia

Experience the complex richness of Labassa’s architectural and human history. Although more than 700 people have lived at Labassa, it has miraculously survived with most of its opulent Victorian era decoration intact. Guided house tours and tower tours operate through out the day, and the tea room is open 10.30am to 3.30pm. Join us for
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Free – $35

Rare Book Week: Olympic Treasures in the Melbourne Cricket Club Library

Melbourne Cricket Ground

In September 2023, the MCC Library celebrated its 150th anniversary. To mark this milestone, 150 items were selected from the collection, to be rotated as part of a special display throughout the year. During Melbourne Rare Book Week, the chosen items will all feature the Olympic Games, to coincide with the 2024 Paris Games opening on
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EPHEMERA SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA: IT’S COLD AND OLD AND RARER THAN GOLD

RHSV Gallery Downstairs 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Bookings: https://ephemerasociety.org.au/category/whats-on/ Tony Shields has been a stamp and coin dealer since 1970. Every day he handles wonderful pieces of history and art which he researches and loves.  Since childhood, he has been fascinated by the stories of Scott and Mawson in the Antarctic and has sought stamps and other items depicting the experiences of
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In Search of the Last Continent: Melbourne and early Antarctic exploration

RHSV Gallery Downstairs 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

In 1886 gentlemen from Victoria's Royal Society and Geographical Society formed a joint Australian Antarctic Exploration Committee. With the ear of the Premier and his Agent General in London, they energetically pursued a joint whaling and scientific expedition. They came tantalising close to their goal and helped inspire the first landing and the first overwintering on the Antarctic continent. Through both published and unpublished items from the RHSV, join librarian and author Andrew McConville to explore this and other stories of early Antarctic exploration.

Free

Some Rambles with the Campbells

39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, Australia

Some rambles with the Campbells – The life and times of Western District pastoralist politician, and Anglican vicar, Colin Campbell (1817-1903) and his family. This talk with Dr. Ian Clark will cover Colin Campbell and his wife Frances Campbell (née McWhirter) and their relationship with the Djabwurrung Aboriginal people of the Buangor district. Colin Campbell
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Free

Rare Book Week: Sands and McDougall Directories for Use and Amusement

East Melbourne Library 122 George St, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Speaker: Fiona Campbell What are the Sands and McDougall directories? These often-massive volumes were produced from 1857 to 1974 and are an invaluable resource for local and family history research. Find out how you can access and use them for your research, and enjoy some of their more entertaining aspects, with local history librarian, Fiona
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Recurring

Family History Workshops

39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, Australia

👩🏽‍👩🏽‍👦🏽‍👦🏽 Family History Workshops hosted by Wendy Eldridge from our Friends of the Library. Do you want some guided help with your family history journey? We can help. Join a friendly and supportive environment while making use of the many resources available at the PMI Victorian History Library. Our workshops will cover: 28 Feb -
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$20 – $25

Rare Book Week: E.W. Cole and his Book Arcade

State Library of Victoria Entry 3, Village Roadshow Theatre, La Trobe Street, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Presented by Jodi Kok A look at the life and exploits of E.W. Cole, creator of Cole’s Funny Picture Book and owner of the famous Cole’s Book Arcade. Cole was a canny businessman, a visionary, and a true believer in everyone having the right to access books. We will take a look at some treasures from the Library’s
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Rare Book Week: North Melbourne Ghost Signs

Victorian Archives Centre 99 Shiel Street, North Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Cultural archaeology in Haunted Hotham Speaker: Sean Reynolds You’ve likely stumbled upon them, roaming the winding streets of North Melbourne—ghost signs, those timeworn remnants of advertisements past, keepers of tales hidden in plain sight. Join Sean, the madcap maestro behind the Instagram cult-hit ‘Melbourne Ghost Signs’, for a night drenched in stories, histories and mysteries. Rendezvous
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