16/08/2026
A COMMUNITY HOUSE FOR MONBULK?
EXCITING NEWS OF WHAT MAY COME....AND A LOOK BACK
Exciting news has recently been announced that Monbulk may receive a Community House. Community Houses started up in the Dandenongs in the 1970s. The first was at Selby in 1975, followed by Kallista and Coonara in 1976 and then Emerald in 1978. The Kallista Community House closed down around Covid due to the state of the building requiring major repairs and services there have progressed over to the Mechanics' Hall which has recently been upgraded.
Community Houses catered for a changing society that had a need for community spaces in smaller venues than the town halls and mechanics' institutes of earlier days. Today they are known as Neighbourhood Houses and there are 12 in the Shire of Yarra Ranges. They would provide services from childcare, youth and recreation classes, art classes, aged services to many other community programs.
The organising committee would love to hear from the community as to what sort of uses they would like to see available in Monbulk.
A link to the survey. https://monbulkcommunityhouse.org.au/
Community spaces have always been important, and it has been no different in Monbulk.
The need for a public hall in Monbulk was recognised as early as 1898, and land was reserved in Monbulk. In February 1902 a public hall, to be used as a Mechanics' Institute, was being erected in the Monbulk settlement, which was to cost about Β£200. The hall was erected in the Recreation Reserve, next to the State School, where the current car park is, located between the school and the Hub. Mechanics' Institutes served as community halls and usually consisted of a hall, library and kitchen where various community groups would hold meetings, events or dances. The Monbulk Mechanics' Institute and Free Library opened on Saturday November 22 1902.
The initial hall was quite small and in 1905 an extension to the Mechanics' Institute was added, with Mr. Parker being the carpenter in charge. The new enlarged hall was opened on October 13 1905 with a concert and ball. In 1907 commencement was made with the work of adding 12 feet and two ante rooms to the Mechanics' Institute. The building was done in a most substantial manner, the foundation consisting of heavy blocks of sound, seasoned timber, with all the other parts in proportion.
By 1909 it was paid off and debt free due to funds raised from events held there. Disaster struck when devastating bushfires hit Monbulk on Tuesday February 4 1913. The school and Mechanics' Hall were burnt down along with many houses. By May 1913 the re-building of the Monbulk Mechanics' Institute had been let to Edward Anderson for Β£500.
The new hall opened in early 1914. George Gilmour was president of the hall committee for 13 years from the time that it was originally built until 1914 when the new hall was completed. Harold Smith was a long serving secretary during those years. Mr Bowman, who by now ran Nathania Springs, became the new president and Rowland Godfrey also spent time in charge of the hall. The rebuilt Monbulk School opened on March 13 1914.
During WW1 it was the venue for farewells and later for Welcome Home parties. The hall was utilised by many local groups, from churches, schools and sporting clubs to more important and official duties and meetings. The Monbulk Progress Association met there for decades while it was also the venue for the fruit and flower shows. Movies would also be shown there, at first silent ones and then the 'talkies' by the 1930s.
After WW2 it continued to be the venue for many dances into the 1960s but the advent of TV meant that numbers dropped off over time.
In 1972 the hall was burnt down by some local youths and the site has been vacant ever since, becoming a carpark. The need for a community building for the town meant that by 1976 construction began on the Monbulk Community Centre next door, on the corner of Main and Moores Roads where the old tennis courts had been. The Community Centre served its purpose for many years but by the early 2000s was rarely being used.
In 2007 it was announced that a new Monbulk Community Hub would be built on the site of the Community Hall and Senior Citizen's building, which were demolished. The Monbulk Living and learning Centre would house the Yarra Ranges Shire workers, who had been in a shop in the Main Street, and would also incorporate the kindergarten from across the road. For a while it also included VicRoads services. The new buildings were opened in 2011.
2026 marks 128 years since land was first set aside for the community in Monbulk. Two Mechanics' Institutes 1902-1913 and 1914-1972, a Community Centre, 1976-2007, and now the Monbulk Hub, 2011-present, have served generations of locals on this corner site. A new Community House would be another welcome addition.
