​Merbein District Historical Society Inc & Museum  
36 Box Street  - Entry via Main Avenue door next to the Merbein Library  
Open 2pm - 4pm  - Thursdays & 3rd Sunday of the Month 2pm - 4 pm  or by appointment 
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY 2025 and NEW YEAR'S DAY 2026.    Open all other Thursdays & 3rd Sunday of the month during the holiday Period. 
Resume MDHS General Meetings  - 24th February 2026
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Closed Christmas Day & Public Holidays     
 ​Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MerbeinDistrictHistory                  ​​​                                      Web Site:   https://www.merbeinhistoricalsociety.org.au
MEETINGS  2025:
4th Tuesday of the month at MDHS Rooms 7.30 pm  ​(excepting Dec & Jan) 
​​OFFICIAL OPENING OF 'NEW' MDHS ROOMS  IN 2022   
On 22 May 2022 at 2pm, the 'new' MDHS rooms were officially opened by the MRCC Deputy Mayor, Cr. Jason Modica.  Entry is by the door on Main Avenue next to library.   Come and view our amazing displays and browse through our many books which are for sale on Merbein's history.
​The Society was, from 1997 to 2021, in the Baby Health Centre building on the cnr of Commercial & O'Bryan Streets, Merbein.

General Meetings 2025 

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February 25th
Merbein's Early Picture Theatres. Pictorial presentation. 
March 25th
The Formation of the Rotary Club of Merbein Inc (Kay Wagner). 
April 22rd 
Letters Sent Home by Serving Defence Personnel
May 27th 
Bud Walder 'Merbein Memories'   
June 24th 
'Jack Braidie's Amazing Life" PP
July 22nd
AGM - Legacy of E.J. Kenny - 100th Anniversary of Kenny's Death. 
August 26th  
Looking after your Family Photos
September 23rd
"Tracing Merbein's History through Artworks, Cairns and Signage".  
Sunday October 26th 2pm
(No Gen Oct Meeting)  
2pm Films "Frames of History"  -  'Millewa Memories'
November 25th  Steven Haby   
“From suburban trains to intermodal freight : a nostalgic review of rail and other transport in and around Merbein”
December 2nd: Christmas Breakup
Sunraysia Daily Sat March 2nd 2024
​​LISTEN HERE:     Hear President, Bernadette Wells', 'potted' history of Merbein and a description of our new rooms at Box Street, local history topics in an interview conducted by Ian McWilliams on Hot FM.   ​​Also see unique local film footage!!!
​https://history.compactsound.com.au ​
​           We Collect - We Preserve - We Promote
                       Merbein & District History 
​The MDHS was established in 1997 and its mission in the community of Merbein and District is to collect, preserve and promote the history of Merbein and District. 
The Society plays an active role in engaging the community through a range of activities for their members and the wider local community.​ These activities include monthly meetings, field trips, a quarterly publication, project work, presentations and speaker events.​
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If you know of any  8 or 16 mm footage of Merbein & district from the past, we would love to know about it and endeavour to have it digitised. 
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        'E. J. Kenny Award' 
MDHS President, Bernadette Wells, presented on the 16th December, 2025, the E. J. Kenny Award to Summer Alderson, a Grade 5 student of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School, Merbein.
Kenny known as the ‘Father of Merbein’, even in his life time, died, unexpectedly, on 18th July 1925.
To remind the community of his significant contribution to the early Merbein,  the MDHS Museum Inc conducted a one-off ‘E. J. Kenny Award’ to be presented to a Merbein student who submitted the most impressive written entry on E. J. Kenny.  
Summer's entry, focused on Kenny’s achievements and how he helped growers with their problems, either personal or with the working of their fruit blocks, was judged by the MDHS Committee to be the most worthy of the award. She was presented with a framed certificate and a $50 gift voucher. 
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Red Earth A History of the Mildura Region by Stuart Kells.
In this harcover book of 427 pages, Kells extensively covers the region's pre-colonial history, the importance of the district's unique agricultural and horticultural practices, a perspective on the relationship of Alfred Deakin with the Chaffey Brothers Land Scheme, the migrant experience and many other local personal stories and developments that shaped our region. 
The MDHS submitted material for the book and some Merbein images and aspects of Merbein history have been included.  Check it out or give it as a Christmas present. 
Published by Melbourne  University Press, it was locally launched in the Mildura Library on 13/12/2025. ​
It is available in Mildura at Collins Book Store for $49.99 - also available at all good book stores. 
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DECEMBER HISTORIAN  NO 102 2025
​Buy the latest DECEMBER (No 102) Merbein Historian ($6) at the MDHS/Museum Rooms - open every Thursday 2pm - 4pm & on 3rd Sunday of the month 2 - 4pm.
Back Copies available at rooms.
​Current Historian also available at the Merbein Post Office $6. ​Many other local history books available at the rooms. 

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