Our History

John Pascoe Fawkner convened a public meeting in 1848 held at the Queen’s Head Hotel to elect a committee and formally institute the Victorian Horticultural Society. The Superintendent of the colony, Charles La Trobe, was the Patron and the President was the Mayor, Henry Moor.

In October 1885 the Society was granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria and became the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria (RHSV).

The RHSV remained unchanged for many years. It started and existed for more than 100 years as an autonomous society for those who appreciated horticulture at both an amateur and professional level.

Like most other societies and clubs, it held monthly meetings for its members and seasonal shows, at which members could display their flowers, plants and fruit to the general public.

The Society standardised general judging and conducted horticultural judges training schools within the State.

Many horticultural organisations, garden clubs and specialist societies throughout Victoria and Interstate were affiliated with the RHSV, and in many cases started as a Section of the Society.

Today the Society continues to fulfil the needs of home gardeners, specialist growers and many types of horticultural clubs and related organisations