About Camera Clubs This section deals with the camera clubs and photographic societies which were active in the late 19th century and early part of the 20th century. Few camera clubs survived the dull times of the 1920s and 1930s, and it was not until there was a resurgence of interest in the 1950s and later that many clubs in the metropolitan and country areas were revived.

One exception is the Adelaide Camera Club which began as the Malvern Photo Club in 1902 with meetings in that suburb until it moved into the city and changed its name to Adelaide Camera Club in 1904. It is to the Adelaide Camera Club's credit that it survived the terrible disruptions of two World Wars and continues as an active club today.

The earliest known country camera club, was the Barossa Camera Club, which is known only through having an entry in a directory of Photographic Societies from 1895 to 1898.

In the city, the Photographic Association of South Australia was formed late in 1882, apparently to serve the interests of professional photographers. It seems to have had a very short life.

The first society of any substance was the South Australian Photographic Society which was established in August 1885 and had a very distinguished and genteel membership. At one stage it was reported that the society had ‘an earl, two knights, and sundry professors on the list of patrons, a live secretary, and a committee that takes an actual interest in its welfare.’

An asterisk  *  in front of the name of a club on the menu indicates there is an image in the file. Few photographs of club outings have been found, and I would welcome the oportunity to add to this meagre collection.

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