LOOSE CHANGE

Mutual interest beats banks

Royal Society headquarters all dressed up for its 150th

IT'S one of Melbourne's oldest and most significant buildings but a year ago the Royal Society of Victoria headquarters was in a dire state.

1891

The continent of Australia was still not completely known, and Sir John Forrest, the West Australian Premier, was receiving reports from the Elder expedition dispatched to the colony's inland. David Lindsay, leading the expedition, reported that severe drought had afflicted the settled parts and they had had to turn back from a proposed route for fear of losing their camels. He said he still hoped to get north of the route Forrest himself had traversed in 1869, set up a depot and go into unexplored country.