
A Nation Divided: The Great War and Conscription
The debate over conscription during the darkest years of WWI has been described by some historians as the most bitter, divisive and violent ever to consume the nation.
From 1916 to 1917, thousands of impassioned speeches were made, endless newspaper columns were written, and mass meetings and huge rallies were held throughout Australia. As families, communities and organisations divided in bitter recrimination, it seemed as if the soul of the grieving nation would tear itself apart.
This exhibition from the Old Treasury Building tells the story of this extraordinary period in our history. It is a tale of political intrigue, industrial turmoil, civil unrest and a lurid propaganda war. But it is also a story of passionate idealists, who faced down government repression in pursuit of their beliefs.
Dates and times 
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Wed 17 Aug |
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Thu 18 Aug |
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Fri 19 Aug |
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Sun 21 Aug |
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Fri 26 Aug |
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Sun 28 Aug |
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Mon 29 Aug |
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Tue 30 Aug |
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Wed 31 Aug |
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Thu 1 Sep |
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Sun 4 Sep |
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Wed 7 Sep |
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Thu 8 Sep |
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Fri 9 Sep |
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Sun 11 Sep |
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Mon 12 Sep |
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Tue 13 Sep |
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Wed 14 Sep |
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Thu 15 Sep |
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Fri 16 Sep |
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Sun 18 Sep |
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Mon 19 Sep |
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Tue 20 Sep |
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Wed 21 Sep |
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Thu 22 Sep |
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Fri 23 Sep |
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Sun 25 Sep |
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Mon 26 Sep |
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Tue 27 Sep |
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Wed 28 Sep |
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Thu 29 Sep |
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Fri 30 Sep |
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Sun 2 Oct |
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Mon 3 Oct |
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Tue 4 Oct |
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Wed 5 Oct |
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Thu 6 Oct |
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Fri 7 Oct |
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Sun 9 Oct |
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Mon 10 Oct |
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Tue 11 Oct |
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Wed 12 Oct |
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Thu 13 Oct |
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Fri 14 Oct |
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Sun 16 Oct |
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Mon 17 Oct |
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Tue 18 Oct |
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Wed 19 Oct |
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Thu 20 Oct |
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Fri 21 Oct |
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Sun 23 Oct |
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Mon 24 Oct |
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Tue 25 Oct |
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Wed 26 Oct |
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Thu 27 Oct |
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Fri 28 Oct |
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Sun 30 Oct |
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Mon 31 Oct |
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Tue 1 Nov |
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Wed 2 Nov |
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Thu 3 Nov |
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Fri 4 Nov |
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Sun 6 Nov |
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Mon 7 Nov |
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Tue 8 Nov |
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Wed 9 Nov |
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Thu 10 Nov |
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Fri 11 Nov |
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Sun 13 Nov |
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Mon 14 Nov |
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Tue 15 Nov |
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Wed 16 Nov |
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Thu 17 Nov |
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Fri 18 Nov |
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Sun 20 Nov |
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Mon 21 Nov |
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Tue 22 Nov |
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Wed 23 Nov |
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Thu 24 Nov |
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Fri 25 Nov |
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Sun 27 Nov |
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Mon 28 Nov |
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Tue 29 Nov |
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Wed 30 Nov |
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Thu 1 Dec |
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Fri 2 Dec |
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Sun 4 Dec |
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Mon 5 Dec |
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Tue 6 Dec |
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Wed 7 Dec |
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Thu 8 Dec |
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Fri 9 Dec |
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Sun 11 Dec |
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Mon 12 Dec |
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Tue 13 Dec |
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Wed 14 Dec |
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Thu 15 Dec |
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Fri 16 Dec |
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Sun 18 Dec |
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Mon 19 Dec |
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Tue 20 Dec |
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Wed 21 Dec |
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Thu 22 Dec |
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Fri 23 Dec |
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Sun 25 Dec |
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Mon 26 Dec |
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Tue 27 Dec |
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Wed 28 Dec |
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Thu 29 Dec |
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Fri 30 Dec |
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Location 
Old Treasury Building
20 Spring Street
East Melbourne 3002
Price and bookings
This is a free event
Booking not required

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