Melbourne Science Fiction Club
Encyclopedia
The Melbourne Science Fiction Club Inc. (Also known as the M.S.F.C. or colloquially "the club") was founded in May 1952 by Race Mathews and others. It is the second oldest, continuously active, science fiction
club in the world, after the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society
. It meets most Friday nights 8-11pm at St Davids church hall, 74 Melville Road, West Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia, except over Christmas/New Year and Good Friday.
Members of the MSFC were instrumental in organising and running three World Science Fiction Conventions, Aussiecon
in 1975, Aussiecon Two
in 1985 and Aussiecon 3
in 1999. Current members are involved in the Aussiecon4 Worldcon in 2010. Members have also been involved in running many of the annual versions of the Australian National Science Fiction Convention
s and other regional conventions in and around Melbourne, Australia.
Many members of Australian Science fiction fandom
have been members of the MSFC. Notable members/past-members of the MSFC include Ian Gunn, (Past president and club fanzine editor) winner of the Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist
1999, Lee Harding
, Damien Broderick
, Alan Stewart (secretary for 16 years and Ditmar Award
winner), Cheryl Morgan (editor of the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine
winning fanzine, Emerald City
), Phil Wlodarczyk, Martin James Ditmar ("Dick") Jenssen (after whom the Ditmar Award
is named), Bruce Gillespie
(Fan Guest of Honour at the 1999 World Science Fiction Convention Aussecon 3), and Race Mathews
who later became a Minister in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.
The MSFC has a library of over 8,000 volumes and a huge collection of fanzines. It is listed as a special library for researchers and has a computer catalogue of approximately 5,500 titles. Work continues on the catalogue.
There have been several club fanzine
s: In the 1950s, the club newszine was called Etherline, which was followed later in the sixties by the Somerset Gazette. There were no formal club zines in the 1970s. Since 1985 the MSFC has published a newszine called Ethel the Aardvark, which has won the Ditmar Award
several times, under different editors, including Alan Stewart, Ian Gunn and Paul Ewins, and the Chronos Award. It is up to issue #147 and continuing.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
club in the world, after the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society
Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society
The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Inc., or LASFS is a science fiction society with its headquarters in Van Nuys, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. Van Nuys is located in the San Fernado Valley, north of Los Angeles...
. It meets most Friday nights 8-11pm at St Davids church hall, 74 Melville Road, West Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia, except over Christmas/New Year and Good Friday.
Members of the MSFC were instrumental in organising and running three World Science Fiction Conventions, Aussiecon
33rd World Science Fiction Convention
The 33rd World Science Fiction Convention, informally known as Aussiecon, was held in Melbourne, Australia, 14–17 August 1975, at the Southern Cross Hotel. Its guests of honour were Ursula K. Le Guin , Susan Wood , Mike Glicksohn , and Donald Tuck...
in 1975, Aussiecon Two
43rd World Science Fiction Convention
The 43rd World Science Fiction Convention , also known as Aussiecon Two, was held 22 – 26 August 1985 at the Southern Cross, Victoria, and Sheraton Hotels in Melbourne, Australia.The chairman was David Grigg....
in 1985 and Aussiecon 3
57th World Science Fiction Convention
Aussiecon Three was the 57th World Science Fiction Convention, held in Melbourne, Australia on 2–6 September 1999. The convention was held in the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.-Guests of honour:* Gregory Benford, author...
in 1999. Current members are involved in the Aussiecon4 Worldcon in 2010. Members have also been involved in running many of the annual versions of the Australian National Science Fiction Convention
Australian National Science Fiction Convention
The Australian National Science Fiction Convention or Natcon is a science fiction convention that is scheduled each year usually at Easter....
s and other regional conventions in and around Melbourne, Australia.
Many members of Australian Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
have been members of the MSFC. Notable members/past-members of the MSFC include Ian Gunn, (Past president and club fanzine editor) winner of the Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist
Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist
The Hugo Awards are presented every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
1999, Lee Harding
Lee Harding (writer)
Lee John Harding is an Australian freelance photographer, who became a writer of science fiction novels and short stories.-Science fiction writing:...
, Damien Broderick
Damien Broderick
Damien Francis Broderick is an Australian science fiction and popular science writer. His science fiction novel The Judas Mandala is sometimes credited with the first appearance of the term "virtual reality," and his 1997 popular science book The Spike was the first to investigate the...
, Alan Stewart (secretary for 16 years and Ditmar Award
Ditmar Award
The Ditmar Award has been awarded annually since 1969 at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction and science fiction fandom...
winner), Cheryl Morgan (editor of the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine
Hugo Award for Best Fanzine
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
winning fanzine, Emerald City
Emerald City (magazine)
Emerald City was a science fiction fanzine published in print and on the internet by Cheryl Morgan. She had assistance from Kevin Standlee and Anne Murphy. The magazine published 134 regular issues and 6 special issues between September 1995 and November 2006...
), Phil Wlodarczyk, Martin James Ditmar ("Dick") Jenssen (after whom the Ditmar Award
Ditmar Award
The Ditmar Award has been awarded annually since 1969 at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction and science fiction fandom...
is named), Bruce Gillespie
Bruce Gillespie
Bruce Gillespie is a prominent Australian science fiction fan best known for his long-running sf fanzine SF Commentary. Along with Carey Handfield and Rob Gerrand, he was a founding editor of Norstrilia Press, which published Greg Egan's first novel.He was fan guest of honor at Aussiecon 3, the...
(Fan Guest of Honour at the 1999 World Science Fiction Convention Aussecon 3), and Race Mathews
Race Mathews
Charles Race Thorson Mathews, always known as Race Mathews is a Co-operative economist, and former member of Victoria's State Parliament and Australia's Federal Parliament for the Australian Labor Party...
who later became a Minister in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.
The MSFC has a library of over 8,000 volumes and a huge collection of fanzines. It is listed as a special library for researchers and has a computer catalogue of approximately 5,500 titles. Work continues on the catalogue.
There have been several club fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
s: In the 1950s, the club newszine was called Etherline, which was followed later in the sixties by the Somerset Gazette. There were no formal club zines in the 1970s. Since 1985 the MSFC has published a newszine called Ethel the Aardvark, which has won the Ditmar Award
Ditmar Award
The Ditmar Award has been awarded annually since 1969 at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction and science fiction fandom...
several times, under different editors, including Alan Stewart, Ian Gunn and Paul Ewins, and the Chronos Award. It is up to issue #147 and continuing.