Veneto Club

The Veneto Club is an Italian social club in Bulleen, Victoria, Australia. It was established in the late 1960s on a site in the eastern suburbs, which had become an attractive area for Italian migrants to move to from the working class inner suburbs, when they had established themselves.[1] A substantial Brutalist style building was erected in 1972, to the designed of the Italian émigré architect Ermin Smrekar.[2][3]

Located at 191 Bulleen Road Bulleen, the Veneto Club has its origins in the 1960s during informal gatherings of some Melbourne-based ‘Veneti’ gathered for social activities including Bocce games. In 1969 a group of Italian businessmen purchased 16 acres of land in Bulleen and erected a small shed, known as ‘la Baracca’, as a shelter and informal ‘clubhouse’. On December 8, 1973, the new Smrekar-designed building, was opened by The Hon. Billy Snedden, in front of a crowd of 3000 people. The Italian Ambassador to Australia attended the opening.[4]

The site includes extensive grounds and playing fields, and is the venue for the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL)team the Bulleen Boomers from 1984. the History Teachers' Association of Victoria was based here in the 1990s.[5]

It has been the venue for the Italian Food and Wine Festival for several years.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Bulleen Demographics (VIC) Local Stats
  2. ↑ Image on Pinterest
  3. ↑ Adriana Nelli, 1954, Addio Trieste...The Triestine Community of Melbourne Doctor of Philosophy Victoria University 2000
  4. ↑ Veneto Club website 'History'
  5. ↑ Victorian Places, 2015 'Bulleen'
  6. ↑ 'Italian food festival at the Veneto Club in Bulleen on April 25' Anna Chisholm, Manningham Leader, 17 April 2014
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