Club History

Compiled from historical records by Matt Moore

Foundation

Camberwell Camera Club Inc. was established in 1953 by a group of local residents with a shared passion for photography and community engagement. Key figures in its formation included John Kinnear, solicitor and former Mayor of the City of Camberwell; Wilf Broadhead, manager and part-owner of York Camera Centre, President of Melbourne Camera Club and founding President of VAPS; and Howard Joyce, a strong supporter of community activities.

Following an informal gathering, a notice was placed in the local newspaper inviting interested residents to attend a meeting on 23 November 1953. Ten people met at the Inchley family home, where the Club was formally founded. A constitution was soon adopted and office bearers elected. John Kinnear became the inaugural President, Wilf Broadhead Vice-President, Frank Nestor Secretary and Don Inchley Treasurer, a position he held for the next fifteen years.

Membership grew rapidly, reaching 27 members within three months and 39 by the first Annual Meeting in November 1954. The Club joined the Victorian Association of Photographic Societies (VAPS) during its first year and was well represented at the inaugural VAPS Convention in Healesville in 1954. Club member Joyce Pyle, who joined in February of that year, served as Assistant Secretary of VAPS from 1954 to 1956.

Meeting Venues & Club Activities

The Club's earliest meetings were held in private homes before John Kinnear secured a room at the rear of the former Camberwell Town Hall. In 1956 the Club moved to the Lodge Room, remaining there for nine years before relocating to the newly built theatrette, which served as its principal venue until the end of 1985. The Club's first meeting in 1986 was held at the Camberwell RSL. In January 2014, meetings moved to St John's Anglican Church, 552 Burke Road, Camberwell, where the Club continues to meet.

Meetings initially were held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month but since 2020 have been held weekly. Our meetings feature guest speakers, presentations and competitions for both printed and projected images. The final meeting of each year is devoted to annual perpetual trophy competitions, showcasing members' finest work.

The Club has traditionally hosted at least one annual Interclub Competition, bringing together local and regional photographic clubs to compete on a nominated theme or genre. Since 2012 we have hosted an International Competition between our club and the UK based Leighton Buzzard club.

Competition administration has benefited from the dedication of many volunteers. Lucy Tucker, who joined in 1957, served as Competition Steward for twelve years and Vice-President for sixteen years. She received a VAPS 50 Year Bar and was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Club. Doug Walker joined in 1975 and served as Competition Steward for twenty-two years while contributing to numerous Club activities, including the Audio Visual Group. He was recognised with a VAPS Meritorious Service Award.

Special Interest Groups

Throughout its history, the Club has encouraged members to develop their photographic skills through specialist groups.

A Print Group was established in the Club's early years to improve black-and-white printing techniques through the exchange of knowledge and experience. A Colour Slide Group followed in 1975 and, with the growing popularity of audiovisual presentations, an Audio Visual (AV) Group was formed in 1981.

These groups met in members' homes and played an important role in the Club's educational program. Viv Bennett and Lucy Tucker were instrumental in the operation of the Print and Slide Groups respectively, while Don Inchley provided the driving force behind the AV Group. Members achieved success in VAPS AV exhibitions, Queensland's Bidfest and several international exhibitions in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and France.

As photographic technology evolved, interest in traditional darkroom printing and slide presentations declined. The Print and Slide Groups were eventually disbanded and replaced by digital-focused activities. The emergence of digital photography also enabled the re-establishment of an AV Group using modern production techniques.

Since 2023 these special interest groups continued to grow, based on interest in specific genres e.g. Portrait, Audio Visual, Drone and Nature Photography.

Photographic Outings

Photographic outings have been a longstanding feature of Club life. For more than thirty years they were organised by Treasurer Margaret Marsh and provided members with opportunities to photograph a wide range of locations and subjects.

One of the most memorable outings took place in February 1980 when 47 members and guests travelled to Churchill Island. During the visit, then-President Don Inchley planted a pine tree grown from the seed of the first pine tree planted in Victoria.

While outings were traditionally held on weekends and public holidays, they are now generally scheduled on weekdays twice a Month.

Publications

The Club's first newsletter, Shutterbugs Quarterly, appeared in April 1954, with a second edition published later that year. Rising production costs led to its discontinuation until February 1970, when publication resumed as the Camberwell Camera Club Newsletter.

In May 1977 the publication reverted to the title Shutterbugs and continued to be produced monthly. Howard Joyce served as editor for twenty-six years until ill health forced his retirement in 1996. Subsequent editors included George Thomas, Braham Sacks, Matt Moore and Phil Hankin.

Today, Shutterbugs has been replaced by a weekly, emailed online members' bulletin.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions have played an important role in celebrating Club milestones and showcasing members' work. The first major exhibition was held in 1965 at Camberwell Town Hall, featuring prints and slides submitted by clubs throughout Australia on themes reflecting their local regions.

In 1975 the Club celebrated its 21st anniversary with Camberwell, Old and New, presented in conjunction with the Camberwell Historical Society. Members photographed contemporary Camberwell while hundreds of historical images were reproduced from library archives. Nearly 400 prints were displayed in the newly opened Civic Centre and attracted considerable public interest.

The Silver Jubilee Exhibition followed in 1979, featuring an extensive print display and a continuously screened audiovisual presentation. In 1983 and 1984 the Club organised the 15th and 16th RASV/VAPS National Exhibitions, administered by a committee chaired by Howard Joyce.

Funding through the Boroondara Community Grants Programme enabled the Club to stage a major 50th anniversary exhibition in 2003–04 at the Hawthorn Town Hall Gallery. Officially titled Boroondara Images – The Camberwell Camera Club Inc. 50th Anniversary Photographic Images Exhibition and Competition, it became more widely known as From Box Brownie to Digital. Opened by Peter Hunter OAM, the exhibition featured contemporary works alongside images from the Club's historical collection and attracted strong public support.

The Club's 60th anniversary in 2013 was celebrated through an exhibition of 120 photographs displayed in shopfront windows throughout the Camberwell Junction precinct. The success of the initiative led to its adoption as an annual event until 2016.

The Clubs 70th Anniversary in 2023 was celebrated with an Exhibition in the Hawthorn Town Hall Gallery of our Series called “Light Years” where 30 photographers submitted a poster comprising 12 to 16 themed photographs. The Exhibition was sponsored by the Boroondara Community Arts program.

In 2024 the club was again sponsored by the Boroondara Community Arts Program to produce a hard cover book and a Gallery exhibition celebrating “A Year in the Life of Boroondara”.  The 150-page hard cover book featured 250 photographs from over 40 photographers, and the books launch in 2025 was opened by the Mayor of Boroondara – Sophie Torney.

Competitions & Community Engagement

The Club has participated in numerous community events and photographic competitions over the years. Members exhibited prints and slides at Australia Day celebrations in 1980 and took part in Camberfest community festivals in 1978 and 1980. Collaborative competitions were also conducted with Swinburne Technical College and Camberwell High School during the early 1980s.

Camberwell Camera Club has long maintained strong relationships with photographic clubs across Victoria and interstate through annual Interclub competitions and regular participation in VAPS Interclub events. Members' work has also been displayed in local libraries, commercial venues and community spaces throughout the municipality.

In 2015 the Club introduced its Annual Feature Presentation series at the Hawthorn Arts Centre, with renowned photographer Peter Eastway presenting the inaugural lecture. We continue to integrate into the local community giving presentations to local community groups and historical groups and providing volunteer photography services for their events.

Membership

Membership has fluctuated throughout the Club's history while maintaining a strong and active core. From an initial membership of 39 in 1954, numbers grew to a record 106 in 1958 before settling for many years between 50 and 70 members. Membership declined briefly to 33 in 2003 but recovered strongly with the rise of digital photography, reaching 72 members in 2007 , 100 by 2014 and rapidly increasing to 175 by 2026.

Today, Camberwell Camera Club continues to thrive with a keen committed membership representing a wide range of interests, experience levels and photographic styles.

Workshops & Education

Although workshops were conducted intermittently during the Club's early years, a more structured program was later established through the efforts of Gaynor Robson. Workshops now cover a broad range of photographic topics and are conducted throughout the year in Club rooms, private residences and outdoor locations. Dedicated portrait workshops are also held several times annually, providing members with practical experience in both studio and environmental portraiture.

Looking Forward

For more than seven decades, Camberwell Camera Club has provided photographers with opportunities to learn, compete, exhibit and share their passion for photography. From its modest beginnings in a family home in 1953, the Club has grown into one of Victoria's most respected photographic organisations, continuing to foster creativity, education and fellowship among photographers of all levels.