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Historic illustration of a mother holding a young boy who is giving up a piece of paper with 'vote no' on it.
11 Aug - 31 Dec

A Nation Divided: The Great War and Conscription

  • Free
  • Exhibition

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

Date Times
Wed 17 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 18 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 19 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 21 Aug
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 22 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 23 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 24 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 25 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 26 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 28 Aug
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 29 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 30 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 31 Aug
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 1 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 2 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 4 Sep
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 5 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 6 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 7 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 8 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 9 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 11 Sep
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 12 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 13 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 14 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 15 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 16 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 18 Sep
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 19 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 20 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 21 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 22 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 23 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 25 Sep
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 26 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 27 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 28 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 29 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 30 Sep
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 2 Oct
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 3 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 4 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 5 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 6 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 7 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 9 Oct
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 10 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 11 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 12 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 13 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 14 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 16 Oct
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 17 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 18 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 19 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 20 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 21 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 23 Oct
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 24 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 25 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 26 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 27 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 28 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 30 Oct
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 31 Oct
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 1 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 2 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 3 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 4 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 6 Nov
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 7 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 8 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 9 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 10 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 11 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 13 Nov
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 14 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 15 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 16 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 17 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 18 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 20 Nov
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 21 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 22 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 23 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 24 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 25 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 27 Nov
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 28 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 29 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 30 Nov
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 1 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 2 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 4 Dec
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 5 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 6 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 7 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 8 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 9 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 11 Dec
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 12 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 13 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 14 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 15 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 16 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 18 Dec
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 19 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 20 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 21 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 22 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 23 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sun 25 Dec
  • 10am - 12.30pm 10:00am - 12:30pm
  • 1pm - 3pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Mon 26 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tue 27 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Wed 28 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thu 29 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm
Fri 30 Dec
  • 10am - 3pm 10:00am - 3:00pm

Location

Old Treasury Building
20 Spring Street
East Melbourne 3002

Open in maps location for Old Treasury Building

Price and bookings

This is a free event

Booking not required

Contact details

  • telephone number: 03 9651 2233
  • email address: info@otb.org.au
Visit website for A Nation Divided: The Great War and Conscription
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