Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.

 

1959	Rotary Club of Malvern Chartered by Rotary Club of Prahran on 27 May 1959
1960	Our Club proposed its first Foundation Scholar, Dr Alan Gregory AM who has continued his involvement with us as a current Honorary member.
1962	Formation of Malvern Elderly Citizens Welfare Association - MECWA Provided funding for the development of MECWA Opportunity Shop in Waverley Road
1963 to Present	The Club has a long history of hosting Rotary Exchange Students starting with Teresa De Veyre, from the Philippines (1963) with many being home hosted by Club members. These students have come from all parts of the world including; Germany, United States, Japan, Canada, Norway, Denmark and Brazil and have added greatly to our cultural inclusivity and understanding.
1965	Established two Scout  Halls  for - 3rd Malvern . Produced a 16mm film of the Scout Hall build which was shown at the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, USA
1966	Formation of Rotary Club of Waverley in 7 May 1966
1971	Formation of the Rotaract Club of Malvern 24 February, 1971
1975	Established Dame Mary Herring Centre, Huntingtower Road, Armadale
1975	Formation of the Rotary Club of Chadstone (now Chadstone/East Malvern) 1975
1983	Funded the first Mobile Diabetes Testing Unit (caravan). This project won two Victorian State Government Community Awards and a Rotary International Significant Achievement Award.
1983-1996	The Club has sponsored the establishment of five Probus Clubs within the City of Stonnington
1980’s - Present	Provided significant assistance with the management of the Association for the Blind annual Fairs. Have maintained an ongoing relationship supporting Vision Australia with regular donations from Kooyong Classic Car Parking funds.
1980-1999	The Malvern Mini Marathon started in 1980 as an 18km Fun Run through the City of Malvern and continued to develop as an annual mini marathon fundraising event for the Club.
1988	With assistance from Rotaract Club of Malvern, we secured the car parking rights for the Kooyong Classic in 1988, which continues to this day as the Club’s major fundraising event
1990	Funded the rebuilding of the McArthur Street Children’s Day Centre which received a Rotary District 9800 Community Service Award.
1991	On 29 May 1991 the Club inducted its first female Rotarians, Annie Hartstein and Pam Baker. Pam become the first female President 1997-98 and continues to be an active member of our Club.
1993	Funded a Range Rover and Trailer for the State Emergency Services
1996 to Present	Provide financial and volunteer support to Very Special Kids, Malvern via their annual Fair and Family day activities. The Club continues to make regular donations and do specific fundraising events to support this local charity.
1997 to Present	Funded several significant projects for The Alfred Hospital including; the Burns Unit, Hyperbaric Unit,  ICU and Trauma Unit and the Cardiac Ward, which was named after The Rotary Club of Malvern. Continued to support The Alfred’s Father’s Day Appeal with the provision of admin volunteers for the annual ‘Tin Rattle at the G’.
2002 to present	Club commenced fundraising via gourmet BBQ at City of Stonnington “Pets in the Park” in Central Park.  2019 is the 18th  consecutive year we have been involved raising in excess of $30,000 in that period.
2009	Hosted and funded a respite weekend in 2009 for farming families (70 participants) affected by drought and bush fires in the Benalla region who enjoyed a seaside holiday at Lord Somers Camp in Somers.
2010-2013	Provided funding of over $50,000 to provide specialised chairs for chemotherapy day treatments within the Cabrini Hospital Oncology Unit, Malvern along with an Apheresis machine
2010- Present	Have supported the Donations in Kind (DIK) warehouse via regular working bees and the provision of funds for the shipment of goods to communities around the globe
2011	Club received a Rotary Foundation matching Global Grant to deliver power generators to the Don Bosco Orphanage in Mumbai, India. Members of the Club travelled to India to supervise their delivery and installation.
2013	The Club staged the Stonnington Open Gardens fundraising event in support of Very Special Kids, which raised over $10,000.
2014 to Present	Provided funding over several years to support the World of Difference programs in Cambodia with several members undertaking a volunteering tour to Bosala to support this community
2017	Presented joint donation (Rotary Prahran and Chadstone/East Malvern) of over $10,000 to support Seven Women project in Nepal to help fund a cooking school to further develop economic sustainability for local women
2018	Provided funding of $10,000 and volunteer support for the establishment of water and sanitation facilities for the Timor Leste Primary School in Baguia.
District 9800 Conferences	Our Club members have made attending the annual District 9800 Conference a ‘must do’ with a large percentage of Club members and partners attending these events. Where possible, we include a special dinner or a pre/post conference trip. This has built stronger relationships between members and their extended families.