Australian History
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Australia’s First Rotary Club

A History of the Rotary Club of Melbourne

Owen Parnaby

The story of the Rotary Club of Melbourne—the first Rotary Club in Australia.

About this Title

The Rotary Club of Melbourne was the first Rotary Club in Australia. Since its inaugural luncheon on 21 April 1921, the club has had an outstanding record of philanthropic endeavour and charity work, as well as service to the cause of Rotary on the international scene.

The list of members of the early Melbourne club reads like a Who’s Who of the Australian post-World War I generation of businessmen. In later years, with the increase in the number of Melbourne-based clubs, not to mention the admission of women members in the late 1980s, the range and interests of members was less concentrated leading to a greater diversity of activities.

The charitable work of the Melbourne club has led to many far-reaching social advancements. New benchmarks were set in the care of the elderly by the club’s involvement with the Claremont Home for the Aged in the 1970s; ‘Lifeline’ came to the Wesley Central Mission with the club’s help; work experience programmes for schools began following representations by the club to the Education Department; and the ‘Very Special Kids’ organisation developed into a major family support unit thanks to the involvement of Melbourne club members. Internationally, medical work in India, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries has been supported or carried out by club members.

The Melbourne club is now faced with changing social and economic conditions which are causing the breakdown of community cohesion. The first Rotary Club was born out of a response to the competitive and harsh business environment of Chicago in 1905. The Melbourne club is responding to the conditions by seeing them as an opportunity to expand the tradition of service.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Conversions

1 How Rotary Came to Australia
2 Beginnings: 1921–1930
3 Depression and Threat to Peace: 1930–1939
4 Rotary and War: 1939–1949
5 Prosperity and Stability: 1950–1960
6 The Youth Rebellion and Social Change: 1960–1980
7 Prelude to a New World Order: 1980–1989
8 Globalisation and Social Erosion: 1990–2000

Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index

About the Author

Dr Owen Parnaby, retired Master and now a Fellow of Queens College, University of Melbourne, was named a Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International in 1981, and served as President of the Rotary Club of Melbourne in 1987–88. He is the author of Queen’s College, University of Melbourne: A Centenary History (MUP).

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978-0-522-85031-4