The first Club meeting was held on October 4th, 1966. Chair was Elliot Lindell, 14 people attended and an annual membership fee was set at $2 per year together with a 30c per meeting participation cost. The decision to join the Victorian Association of Photographic Societies Inc (VAPS) was also made at this meeting.
The Club’s formation year was one of significant cultural change. The Vietnam war was escalating, decimal currency was introduced in Australia, on TV ABC’s Playschool, Mission Impossible and Star Trek first went to air, while Charles Schulz published his first “Peanuts” comic strip. At the same time Single Lens Reflex cameras were becoming popular and NASA transmitted their first close-up photos of the Moon and also of Earth from moon orbit.
After forming the Club was quick to get organised and activities underway. The first monthly competition was held in 1967, with monthly Set Subject & Open competition formats commenced in 1968/69. Set Subjects during these formative years were much the same as current and included Portraits, Sport, Night, Flower Study, Song Title, etc
Classroom & Practical Workshops were also underway by 1967 and included Still Life, Portraits, Creative Photography, Night Photography, Image Judging, Camera Skills, and Darkroom Techniques. Similarly club outings commenced with Autumn Scenes, Sherbrook Forest Picnic, and visits to other Clubs, and 1967 was the first year of an Annual Social Event.
Much has happened since the Club’s formation in 1966, including Incorporation as a business entity on October 9th, 1991, however if you read through past monthly committee meeting minutes or AGM minutes there are many activities and issues in common.
Prepared by John Crawford