Melbourne Science Fiction Club

The Melbourne Science Fiction Club (originally the The Melbourne Science Fiction Group) was founded on 9 May 1952 and it currently claims status as the second oldest science fiction club in the world (after the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society) and the oldest in the southern hemisphere. 
It has been a locus for science fiction activities and support networks, for friendships and creativity, for the production of fan films and newszines and fanzines and conventions.
As of 2024, the MSFC runs meetings on the third Friday night of each month, and produces a newszine, Ethel the Aardvark.
== Cultural Background ==
Australian fans of yore grew up in times when science fiction was truly alien from modern values. Nineteenth-century Australian speculative/science fiction was often tied to colonialism, racism, and the values of White Australia, often seen through the lens of isolation amidst alien landscapes or alien indigenous cultures. This isolation can be seen especially in dystopian or post-apocalyptic literature, most obviously demonstrated by On the Beach that was written (and filmed in Melbourne) around the time that the MSFC was enjoying its fledging years. 
Added to this was the physical and cultural isolation felt by Australians, demonstrated by the fact that “Little Australian SF of importance was published during the 1930s and 1940s”SF Encyclopedia. Then on 1 April 1940, the importation of all fiction magazines from non-sterling currency countries was banned in order to conserve war-time spending by the British Commonwealth nations for war materials being purchased from the United States; and these bans effectively remained in place until 1959.Leigh Edmonds, 'Australian Fandom Adventures in Time: An Annotated Chronology of Australian SF Fandom, Volume 1', iOTA #75, p. 3. Wartime conditions and restrictions effectively closed down all Australian science fiction clubs and fanzines, including two fledgling newszines/fanzines commenced in 1940 by young Melbourne fan Warwick Hockley.ibid, p. 1. This era of deprivation also affected overseas fandom, and Isabella Kapur reports that one fanzine, the Futurian War Digest, or FIDO, which was printed between October 1940 and March 1945, helped to save science fiction fandom in the UK. Melbourne fans had no such salvation, and they would have to create it for themselves.
Australian SF historian Leigh Edmonds note the cultural background for SF fans in Melbourne (and Australia) during that era:
Race Mathews grew up in this era when scarcity abounded, including one of his favourite childhood books, H.C.F. Morant's neglected classic Australian fantasy:
Lee Harding also remembered:
Race recounts the atmosphere of isolation and intellectual scarcity that faced science fiction fans in the days before MSFC was founded:
Fans were able to find scarce (imported) material and revel in its difference from the mainstream of insular Australian culture. A schoolfriend of Race, teenager Dick Jenssen later recalled early science fiction that focussed on the emerging technology of computing, something with which he would become personally and professionally conversant. This novel appeared around the time that MSFC was founded, and exemplifies a culture that was turning away from parochialism, and embracing global and nuanced issues:
Merv Binns was a teenager who was at the forefront of distributing such literature, and this led to his becoming involved in the fledgling MSFC:
== Founding the Melbourne Science Fiction Group ==
Race Mathews hosted the first meeting of what became the Club:
Dick Jenssen later (slightly differently) recounted those early days:
Bob McCubbin later recalled one of the priorities within the early club, which led to the formation of MSFC's first newszine, Etherline:
[[File:Lee Harding's 'Perhaps' Issue -1.jpg|thumb|'Perhaps' Issue #1 (February 1953), cover artwork by Dick Jenssen]]
The AFPA actually inspired a number of would-be editors to start publishing fanzines: 'Perhaps' (ed. Lee Harding, launched February 1953), 'Etherline (ed. Ian Crozier for the MSFC, launched March 1953), and 'Bacchanalia' (ed. Race Mathews, launched April 1953. While the other two closed quickly, 'Etherline' gained traction and lasted until 1958 with 101 issues published.Leigh Edmonds, 'Australian Fandom Adventures in Time: An Annotated Chronology of Australian SF Fandom, Volume 1', iOTA #75, p. 5.
In launching MSFC's first newszine (and calling for contributions to their fanzines 'Perhaps' and 'Bacchanalia'), Lee Harding provided his first (and what he intended to be his last) editorial for Etherline #1 on 1st March 1953:
His editorial was accompanied by a complaint that the Customs Department had banned another science fiction book: 'Who Goes There' by Campbell.Lee Harding, ibid, p. 4. This demonstrated once again the entrenched culture of the times and the resilience of those earnest young men who sought to promote 'scientifiction' (or 'stf').
Institutional, societal puritanism ran deep. Race Mathews recalled how such attitudes even pervaded the early club – possibly also a result of the relatively youthful innocence of its members:
One can only imagine what such culturally ingrained homophobia – expressed within the sanctity of the MSFC context - might have had upon teenaged Dick Jenssen, who was growing up to realise that he was gay. Similar problems were to arise a generation later, when the first issues of Ethel the Aardvark included some homophobic jokes, and a light-hearted publication of AIDS article during the height of the epidemic. But at least things were changing by the turn of the century, when the MSFC welcomed members of the LGBT+ group, Spaced Out, into their own fold. Social evolution may move at glacial speed, but it does happen.
== The 1950s ==
=== Publishing === 
Etherline #1 (1 March 1953) editor Ian Crozier pleads:
In Etherline #101 (December 1959) his editorial priorities have changed:
There is a postscript to this editorial commitment:
=== Social Lives === 
 
This last example of socialisation would prove to be somewhat significant:
Margaret Duce became a dedicated science fiction fan. She later changed her name and, over forty years later, as Helena Roberts, she married MSFC founding member Merv Binns.
=== The Australian Science Fiction Conventions === 
The Second Australian Science Fiction Convention received feedback in Etherline #5 (May 1953?) and Etherline #7 (14 June 1953):
The Third Australian Science Fiction Convention received attention in Etherline #28 (28 April 1954) indicating that a proposal had been put forward and debated:
Arthur C Clarke appeared at the Fourth Australian Science Fiction Convention in Sydney in March 1955:
The following year, Melbourne hosted the Olympic Games – and, in a somewhat more humble effort, Melbourne fans hosted the Fifth Australian Science Fiction Convention:
The 'Official Olympicon Report' appeared in Etherline #80 (December 1956) and reported on Olympicon held over the 7th and 8th December 1956. 147 people attended, including 24 from the USA, 19 from New South Wales, 1 each from New Zealand, the UK and Canada; with a smattering from the other states and territories of Australia.
The Guest of Honor was Frank Bryning, an Australian author who reportedly would have been well known to readers of FANTASTIC UNIVERSE. His speech concluded:
The second speaker was Wynne Whiteford, who pondered aloud:
Last speaker was radio script writer Harvey Blanks, who retold his story of being asked to write a radio serial called 'Captain Miracle' and who summarised the experience:
=== Club Changes Its Name === 
Leigh Edmonds reports that in May 1957, the Melbourne Science Fiction Group was renamed Melbourne Science Fiction Club.Leigh Edmonds, 'Australian Fandom Adventures in Time: An Annotated Chronology of Australian SF Fandom, Volume 1', iOTA #75, p. 6. He later reported: "This was apparently done because (Merv Binns) felt that the name 'group' did not sound as official as 'club' and started to call the group a club when they were looking for a new meeting room. Nobody seems to have noticed or cared about the change and it had no effect on the group's activities"Leigh Edmonds, "Proud and Lonely" Part 1 (op cit), p. 178.
==The 1960s==
=== Club News === 
After its disappearance in 1959, Etherline was finally reborn as Etherline II in December 1967, and editor Leigh Edmonds spoke of aspirations in the new first issue:
Others soon also spoke of aspirations for the years ahead:
Others presented a reality that was inspiring in and of itself:
=== Conventions and Conferences ===
The MELBOURNE SCIENCE FICTION CONFERENCE was held in Melbourne over the Easter of 12th, 13th and 14th April 1968.
=== Philosophies ===
=== Apollo 11 Moon Landing 21 July 1969 ===
 
==The 1970s==
MSFC faced the 1970s with an optimism possibly borne from the era of Moonwalkers and space flights. Science fiction had – for a moment in time at least – become mainstream. The early 1970s saw the birth of Space Age Books in Swanston Street, which served as a headquarters for the club. Merv Binns was a leader of much of this change.
Merv later reflected:
 
=== Rebirth ===
Etherline returned in (at least) its third incarnation, this time edited by Merv Binns in November 1973, who spoke of great things ahead. He referred specifically to the newsletter and the Aussiecon convention, but his article inferred that he was using his resources to escalate the promotion of science fiction in Australia:
=== Aussiecon ===
Aussiecon (later known as Aussiecon 1) was the first Australian Worldcon, held in Melbourne in 1975.
==The 1980s==
=== Club News ===
Ethel the Aardvark
Ethel the Aardvark became the club newsletter/zine, commencing publication in 1985 and continuing to this day.
Issue #1 was published in March/April 1985, mentioning among other things that Phantasticon was being held on the following weekend (Easter weekend).
In Issue #3 (June/July 1985) it was reported that they said goodbye to Paul Stevens and his wife, who were leaving Melbourne for Perth.'News', Ethel the Aardvark Volume 1 Number 3, June/July 1985, p. 2, on https://efanzines.com/ Paul had previously been a long-standing member of MSFC, co-proprietor of Space Age Books and involved in the Anti-Fan film for the successful Aussiecon convention bid in 1975.
In Issue #9 (May 1986), the MSFC memberships were listed at 44 members and 3 life members.'Current Membership List, MSFC', Ethel the Aardvark #9, May 1986, p. 13, on https://efanzines.com/.
Away Mission
=== MSFC Moves Its Home in 1985 ===
=== Conventions and Conferences ===
Galactic Tours - 7th to 10th March 1986 
Kingkon II - 7th to 9th June 1986 
Conviction - 11th to 13th June 1988 
See Ethel the Aardvark #19 for the convention program.
=== Aussiecon 2 ===
Aussiecon 2 was the second Australian Worldcon, held in Melbourne in 1986. MSFC club members debated:
==The 1990s==
=== Media Fans versus Literary Fans ===
In 1994, Geoff Tilley spoke aspirationally about the MSCF:
 
In 1996, Ian Gunn made an appeal for unity between literary and media fandoms through the establishment of one set of awards that encompass both forms of fandom:
=== Aussiecon 3 ===
Aussiecon 3 was the third Australian Worldcon, held in Melbourne in September 1999. MSFC was on the program:
==The 2000s==
=== Aussiecon 4 ===
Aussiecon 4 was the third Australian Worldcon, held in Melbourne in 2010.
==The 2010s==
In 2016, the MSFC was forced to move from the hall which had housed their meetings and their library for many years. MSFC Life Member James 'Jocko' Allen, who had been instrumental in securing the Hall many years earlier, spoke in tribute of the venue:
==The 2020s==
MSFC President Alison Barton acknowledged the club's 70th Birthday as part of its celebrations in 2022:
==Notes==
==References==