Heidelberg Historical Society

We want to investigate what came before us and what we can learn from it.

The People of this Area

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land. We also pay our respect to the Elders both past and present of the Kulin Nation and extend that respect to all other Indigenous Australians. Our way forward is to look honestly at the past, avoiding the old distorted historical accounts as much as possible.

First Nation History

This area has been the home of mankind for around 60,000 years. Many descendants of First Nation live amongst those of us who only understand other historical origins. So what happened with the First Nation people, both before and after European occupation?

A good starting point is the Wurundjeri website.

European Settlement

We have evidence of European land use since the early days of occupation in the 1830s. These timber fences, old sheds and introduced tree species are located on the Yarra Flats in modern day Heidelberg. Non-indigenous people have come to Heidelberg from many places, not just Europe. And some of them were convicts - not many, but a few. Some escaped and some were even bushrangers.

COVID 19

Our Historical Society wants to provide a service to all people who are interested in the history of the area. In 2020 and 2021, we are faced with the COVID 19 virus. History tells us how dangerous such diseases are, mainly since European occupation. We must therefore restrict our activities to maintain the safety of our members and all members of the public. See here for more details on COVID safety measures.