Treasures from the Shire Archives

Welcome to ‘Treasures from the Shire Archives’. We are fortunate to have the rich resource of our Shire Archive Collection and are proud to be able to bring these stories to you through the Local History Team. We also encourage you to contribute any stories or memories you may have about the local history of our Shire, which you can do through our Facebook page or by emailing us at artsandculture@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Mornington Peninsula Shire began in 1994 and is linked to the history of four former Shires: The Shire of Mornington, The Shire of Flinders, The Shire of Frankston and Hastings and the Shire of Hastings. There have been many changes to the names and boundaries over time. An understanding of these changes is important when identifying which records to target for researching a property, a family or any other aspect of community history. For example, a property in Somerville will originally have been in Mornington Shire records, but after 1893 until 1960 it will be in Shire of Frankston and Hastings records. After 1960 it will be part of the Shire of Hastings and after 1994 will be represented by the Mornington Peninsula Shire. You will find records for Crib Point, Bittern and Balnarring in the Shire of Flinders records until 1960 when they became part of the new Shire of Hastings.

The Shire Archives contain a range of historical material for these Shires including administrative records, photographs, maps and plans. In 1994, Hastings, Mornington and Flinders Shires combined to form the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Our Shire Archive holds historical material for the four former Shires, reflecting the evolution of local government and the community on the Mornington Peninsula.