VPRS 2223 Minute Books

Full description

This series consists of minutes of meetings of the successive organisations responsible for the administration of the Melbourne Zoological Gardens.

The Melbourne Zoological Gardens were the first to be established in Australia. In October 1857 the Zoological Society of Victoria was formed with the aim of the introduction and acclimatisation of animals, birds, fishes, and plants, both useful and ornamental. The first collections were housed in the Richmond Paddock opposite the Melbourne Botanic Garden. [The Society's minute book for the period November 1857 until June 1858 is held by the Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.]

From July 1858 until 1861 the zoological gardens were administered by the Director of Zoological Gardens who reported to the Melbourne Zoological Gardens Committee which in itself reported to and was funded by the Chief Secretary (VA 475). In July 1858 the Government appointed a Committee for the Management of the Zoological Gardens. Baron Ferdinand von Mueller (also the Government Botanist and Director of the Botanical Gardens from 1857) was appointed to the Committee and was a little later appointed to the position of Director of Zoological Gardens. In October 1858 the Zoological Gardens were "combined" with the Botanic Gardens and it was agreed that the Government Botanist "should exercise control over the whole of the grounds and that he should only in the management of the Zoological Department be under the control of the committee..."[VPRS 1189/P, unit 745, file 58/G8503, Director of Zoological Gardens to Chief Secretary].

In 1861 when the animals were moved from the Botanic Gardens to the present site in Royal Park it would seem that the Society once again took over administration of the Zoological Gardens though further research is required to absolutely verify this. In 1861 the title of the Society was changed to the "Acclimatisation Society of Victoria", in 1870 to the "Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria", the prefix "Royal" being added in 1910. The animals were transferred to the present site in Royal Park in 1861. Although acclimatisation was one of the objects during the first decade at Royal Park, the efforts of the Society were gradually directed towards developing the Gardens and acquiring animals for exhibition purposes.

The Royal Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria controlled the Zoological Gardens until 1937 when financial difficulties were encountered and the Society requested the Victorian Government to assume responsibility for the Zoological Gardens and its extensive collections. As a result the Zoological Gardens Act 1936 appointed the Zoological Board of Victoria, a statutory body, on which the society was represented until its final disbandment in the 1950s.