ter Unity IOOF was founded
ur journey began in 1840 when Manches
ed in Adelaide. The antecedents
in Victoria and its first lodge was establish
e participants in the movement that
of the modern Australian Unity were activ
n nation in 1901.
brought about the founding of the Australia
O
1901
Australian Federation
achieved and ANA
member Edmund Barton
becomes Australia’s first
Prime Minister
connection between our antecedents
This heritage is both a fitting and historical
mitted to playing a part in the further
and the Group today, which remains com
keen interest in issues of public affairs,
development of our nation. We retain a
customers and the broader community.
particularly as they affect our members,
Australian Unity’s 175 year journey 1840-2015
1840 to1900 >
1901-1960 >
1840
1848
1854
Manchester Unity IOOF
founded in Victoria and
first MUIOOF lodge
established in Adelaide
Grand United Order
of Odd Fellows founded
in New South Wales
Flinders Street
Station, Melbourne
completed
1868
Early typewriter
first patented in
the USA
1890s
1902
1914-18
Australian Natives’
Association Victoria
(ANA) established
ANA campaigns for Federation
Grand United Life
Assurance Scheme
introduced
World War I. For the
first time Australian
soldiers fight under
the Australian flag
1888
Eureka Stockade
battle near
Ballarat, Victoria
1880
1841
1861
New Zealand is proclaimed as a
separate colony, no longer part
of New South Wales
The first Melbourne Cup
is run at Flemington, Victoria
Ned Kelly hanged at
Old Melbourne Gaol
1859
Queensland is
proclaimed as a
separate colony
1850
Grand United
building
completed at
Castlereagh
Street, Sydney
1860
1880
1850
1846
Dr A F A Greeves becomes
Manchester Unity’s first
Grand Master. Subsequently
becomes Mayor of Melbourne
and a Minister of the Crown
Victoria is
proclaimed
as a separate
colony
1850
The University of
Sydney is founded,
Australia’s first
university
1931
1939
ANA Victoria member Sir Isaac Isaacs
becomes the first Australian-born
Governor General
A team of scientists
develop penicillin
1890
1900
ANA member Alfred
Deakin becomes
Australia’s second
Prime Minister—
serving three terms
in office
1900
1873
Sydney and Melbourne
linked by electric telegraph
Uluru is first sighted by
Europeans and named
Ayers Rock
1864
1872
The first long
distance railway
is built from
Melbourne to
Echuca, Victoria
Manchester Unity Greeves
Scholarship established
1870
Manchester Unity granted Crown
land to establish homes for aged
and disadvantaged members
1883
Silver, lead and zinc
discovered at Broken
Hill, New South Wales
1889
1896
Sir Henry Parkes
proposes Federation
at Tenterfield, New
South Wales
The first modern
Olympic Games
is held
1888
ANA resolves to
commemorate
Foundation Day
(26 January)—now
celebrated each year
as Australia Day
1901
1921
1932
Edith Cowan is the
first woman elected
into an Australian
parliament
Landmark Manchester Unity
Building, a symbol of strength and
optimism during the Depression,
opened in Melbourne
Federation
creates
the nation
of Australia
1906
1895
Waltzing Matilda is
first sung in public, in
Winton, Queensland
1840 to 1900
1904
The first surf
lifesaving club
established
at Bondi, New
South Wales
ANA begins a tradition
of publishing ‘Public
Questions’ to create
debate on issues affecting
Australia and Australians
1926
Manchester
Unity First
Insurance
Company
of Victoria
established
1912
The wattle declared
Australia’s national
flower
1911
The Royal Australian
Navy is founded
1932
Sydney Harbour
Bridge completed
2009
2015
Australian Unity
Wellbeing
Index launched
Lifeplan Australia
Friendly Society
merges with
Australian Unity
Australian Unity
celebrates 175 years
1940s
1950
Friendly societies set up Housing
Co-operatives—forerunner to
building societies
South Australian
friendly societies
enter into a new
Medical Benefits
Scheme
1937
1956
Television in Australia
is launched
Unemployed Grand
United members’
contribution fund
launched to mitigate
the effects of the
Depression
1960
1970
1962-75
1975
Harold Holt
disappearance
Whitlam
government
dismissed
1971
1974
BP and BHP credit
unions formed—
predecessors to Big Sky
Cyclone Tracy
hits Darwin
1964
ANA General
Insurance Company
established
1901 to 1960
Sydney Olympics
1966
1973
Australia changes
to decimal currency
Sydney Opera
House opened
1964
The Beatles 1964 world
tour reaches Australia
2003
2009
Big Sky Credit
Union merges with
BP Credit Union
Black Saturday
bushfires
2012
Australian
Unity
acquires
Better at
Home Care
2005
Grand United
NSW merges
with Australian
Unity
1980
1967
Vietnam War
ANA and MU Permanent
Building Societies
established in Victoria
2000
Lifeplan Australia
Friendly Society
created from mergers
of South Australian
friendly societies
1971
2008
Australian Unity launches
Remedy Healthcare
Manchester Unity
opens Walmsley
Friendship Village
in Kilsyth, Victoria
1970
1960
Australia
celebrates its
bicentenary
1984
Metric
Conversion
Act
1950
1988
1981
ANA centenary
Grand United opens head
office building at 149
Castlereagh Street, Sydney
1929
Station 2SB broadcasts
the first Australian
radio program
2001
Australian Unity
formed from merger
of Manchester Unity
and ANA in Victoria
Manchester Unity Aged
Members’ Centre opens
in suburban Glen
Waverley, Victoria
1948
1923
1993
Kakadu National Park
and the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park are
both proclaimed
Grand United
Centenary Centre
– Homes for the
Aged and War
Memorial Nursing
Home is opened
1940
1915
1979
After a referendum, the
Australian Constitution is
changed to allow Indigenous
Australians to be included in
the population count and for
the federal government to
legislate for them
1948
Australian troops
land at Gallipoli
ANA Roll
of Honour
for Gallipoli
listing those
who served
1967
ANA dental clinic opened in
Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
1962
1920
Australian
women get
the vote
1961
World War II
1915
1910
Melbourne Olympic Games
1939-45
1927
1903
1858
1956
1903
1851
Edward Hargraves
discovers a grain of gold in
a waterhole near Bathhurst,
New South Wales marking
the beginning of the
Australian gold rush
1928
The first flying
doctor service
founded
First parliament of
the federal government
held in Canberra
The opening of the
Sydney–Melbourne
railway
The first horse-drawn trams
in Australia commenced
operations in Adelaide
1908
8 hour work day
is established
1883
1878
Australian Unity opens
the $180 million wellbeing
precinct, Rathdowne Place
in Carlton, Victoria
1961 to 2015 >
1871
1854
1840
2014
2000
1983
Ash Wednesday
bushfires in Victoria
and South Australia
1986
Grand United
Victoria merges
with Manchester
Unity Victoria
1992
1988
The High Court delivers
the Mabo Decision which
recognises native title in
Australia for the first time
The new Australian
Parliament House
opens in Canberra
1990
2020
2002
1996
Australian Unity
Funds Management
Limited established
2010
1998
Redevelopment
Grand United
Centenary Centre
—now known as
Constitution Hill
Australian Unity
Financial Planning
launched (now
Australian Unity
Personal Financial
Services)
2012
Big Sky Credit Union
joins Australian Unity
to form Big Sky
Building Society
2008
Global Financial Crisis
2002
2007
BHP Employee’s
Credit Co-operative
becomes Big Sky
Credit Union
Australian Unity's
new logo is
launched
2013
Australian Unity received
the national 2013 HESTA
Aged Care Awards for
team innovation
1961 to 2015
Manchester Unity sesquicentenary