A brief history of Knox Historical Society

At a public meeting held in the Bayswater Public Hall on the 14th of May 1965, it was decided to form a Shire of Knox Historical Society. The inaugural meeting of the

historical society was held on the 21st of June 1965 at the home of Mr and Mrs Howard McCoomb in Bayswater.

Subsequent meetings were held in the homes of members in Bayswater. As the membership increased more space was needed so the Shire Council provided a farm

house in Ferntree Gully Road on the site of what is now Gilbert Park. A large barn with a garage was on this site, but it was unable to be adequately locked.

The Council appointed representatives from the historical society to a committee of management for the park. Caretakers, Mr and Mrs Jack Masters, lived on the

site. As some items stored in the barn disappeared, boxes and treasures were removed from the barn and stored in members' homes.

Historical society meetings were held at the city offices in Spring Street Ferntree Gully behind the old Shire Hall and later at the new council offices in Wantirna.

The City of Knox was formed in 1969 and in 1975 Ambleside Park and 2 acres of land was donated to the people of Knox by Oliver and Mable David.

This property became the headquarters for the Knox Historical Society Inc. Ambleside Park now contains the local history museum for the City of Knox.