LOCAL STUDIES PATHFINDER
December 2010
Some key publications are as follows:
City of Moreland: thematic history (2010)
- History of Moreland Factsheets are available for borrowing and accessible online at
- Moreland pre-contact Aboriginal heritage study; Moreland post-contact Aboriginal heritage study
Almost pretty: a history of Sydney Roadby Laura Donati
- Brunswick: one history, many voices edited by Helen Penrose
- It happened in Brunswick: 1837-1987 by Les Barnes
- Coburg: between two creeks by Richard Broome
- Coburg chronicles by Lawrence Burchell
Broadmeadows: a forgotten history by Michael Lemon
- Broadmeadows:two decades of community change 1981-2001 by Judith Faulds
- The Toorak of the North: an oral history of Glenroy, Hadfield and Coburg by Hadfield High School.
These publications are in lending, reference and Local History collections.
There are also histories and reports published about specific local organisations, places and buildings.
Please check the library catalogue.
The State Library of Victoria (SLV) and National Library of Australia also hasbooks and reports about suburbs, organisations and people of the City of Moreland, including copies of books by local authors. The Public Record Office of Victoria has some records from State Governmentdepartments about local people and businesses. The University of Melbourne Archives also has some records of local businesses.
Books published by local historical societies and local historians are also available for sale at the libraries. Information Victoria also has some local histories for sale.
Suburb profiles and statistics
Information about current local statistics are available at the Moreland Council website at
See also census information at
Wikinorthia
Wikinorthia is a website that letslocal residents upload information about life in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne. You can search it for information about local topics.
Photographs and maps
Some photographs held by the library service and the Coburg Historical Society areavailable online at
A selection of historic maps is available in the map drawer of the Les Barnes Local History Room at Brunswick.
Also refer to the Coburg Historic Society, Map Collection at State Library of Victoria; and Land Channel
Council agenda papers and minutes
Current /recent Council agendas and minutes
For current Council agendas and minutes ask at library Information Desks or go to
(last 12 months)
Old Council agendas and minutes
Moreland City Council 1995 – currentHardcopyBrunswick Local History Stack.
Pentridge District Road Board1859–1868MicroficheCoburg Adaptive Technology Room
Coburg District Road Board1869–1874MicroficheCoburg Adaptive Technology Room Shire of Coburg 1875–1904 Microfiche Coburg Adaptive Technology Room
Borough of Coburg1905–1920MicroficheCoburg Adaptive Technology Room
City of Coburg/ Coburg City Council1921–1951MicroficheCoburg Adaptive Technology Room
Coburg City Council 1980 – 1994HardcopyBrunswick Local History Stack.
Brunswick City Council: (1850s–1994): only available at the Public Record Office of Victoria.
Rate records (microfiche copies of rate book contents)Library/room
City of Brunswick 1860–1959, 1971–-1978, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1989 Cob. Adap.Tech
1860–1959, 1971–-82, 1987, 1989 Brun Les Barnes
Pentridge District Road Board1963 – 1868Cob. Adap.Tech
Coburg District Road Board1869 – 1874Cob. Adap.Tech
Shire of Coburg1875 – 1904Cob. Adap.Tech Borough of Coburg 1905 – 1920 Cob. Adap.Tech
City of Coburg1921 – 1976Cob. Adap.Tech
Microfiches of some City of Brunswick and City of Coburg rate records are also at State Library of Victoria.
For original rate books for City of Brunswick (1871–1980) and City of Coburg (1863–1986) contact PROV.
Local newspapers
Current/recent editions
Moreland Leader (online PDFversion)
Moreland Leader (online) January 2009 –ANZ Reference Centre database (article search)
Moreland Leader (online) July 2000 –Newsbank database (article search)
Moreland Leader (bound) 2001– Brunswick Les Barnes Room; Coburg Adaptive Tech. Room; Glenroy.
Moonee Valley Community News (bound) – Coburg Adaptive Technology Room.
Historic editions: bound copies
Brunswick areaLibrary
Brunswick and Pentridge Press 1859–1861Brunswick LH stack
Brunswick and Coburg Gazette 1930–1932Brunswick LH stack
Leader Budget1945–1948Brunswick LH stack
Leader Budget 1950, 1963–1966Brunswick Les Barnes Room
Brunswick Sentinel1960, 1966–1995Brunswick Les Barnes Room
Moreland Sentinel1995–2001Brunswick Les Barnes Room
Brunswick Express 1968Brunswick Les Barnes Room
Melbourne Times in Brunswick 1993, 2005,Brunswick Les Barnes Room
Glenroy area
Broadmeadows Observer1994–1995Glenroy Library
Moreland ObserverJune 1995 onwardsGlenroy Library
Moreland Community News1994–2008Glenroy Library
Moreland Leader (Northern Ed.)2008 –Glenroy Library
Coburg area
Community News1983–Coburg Adaptive Tech. Room
Coburg Courier1968–June 1995Coburg Adaptive Tech. Room
Moreland CourierJuly 1995–June 2001 Coburg Adaptive Tech. Room
Coburg/Moreland Leader1983–2001Coburg Adaptive Tech. Room
The State Library of Victoria also has some local newspapers on microfilm.
Newspaper clippings and indexes tolocal newspapers
- Articles of local interest / relevance published in local, state and national newspapers (from mid 1980s onwards) are filed alphabetically under relevant subject headings, such as Elections, Hospitals, Libraries etc and are located in the Local History Room at Coburg Library.
- An electronic index (Inmagic) to articles published in the Brunswick SentinelMoreland Leader newspaper from 1985–2005 is accessible on the computer in the Les Barnes Local History Room at Brunswick Library. Refer to Local studies subject headings list next to the computer in the room.
Newsletters of local history societies
Moreland History News. Les Barnes Local History Room at Brunswick Library.
Fusion: the newsletter of the Brunswick Community History group. Les Barnes Local History Room at Brunswick Library. Index to articles at
Search: newsletter of the Coburg Historical Society. Various branches.
Oral histories:
Talks on Brunswick (1981–2001) and Talks on Moreland (2004–) sound recordings
Recordings on audio tapes are in the Les Barnes local history room in metal and wooden drawers. There is no index. For digital audio recordings of Talks 2010 onwards – speak with Adult/Information Librarians.
The National Library of Australia and State Library of Victoria also have some oral history recordings.
Pamphlet files
Loose files on various local topics were kept up until the late 1990s. These are available to view by appointment with the Adult/Information Services Librarian at Brunswick Library.
Useful contacts
Broadmeadows Historical Society
Brunswick Community History Group. Phone 9387 1194. Meets 1–4.30pm first Saturday of the month in Mayor’s Room, Brunswick Town Hall.
Coburg Historical Society. Bluestone Cottage 82 Bell Street. 2–5 pm first Sunday of the month.
Please note: all items in the local studies collection are subject to current copyright legislation.