University House is the staff club at The University of Melbourne. The objectives of our club are:

• To foster and maintain contacts and the exchange of ideas between the various disciplines represented by staff of The University of Melbourne
• To provide facilities for members of the academic and administrative staff of other universities and kindred organisations while they are working at The University of Melbourne
• To maintain and manage a club house at The University of Melbourne for members of the club.

University Club Inc. (University House, Professors Walk and University House at The Woodward) is a private members club. The Club was instituted in 1952  for the purpose of creating within the University a wider and more varied society than any single Department could offer, and in the hope that it would promote friendship and the fruitful exchange of ideas between people whose work is varied but has a common objective.

The Club also provides members with meals in pleasant surroundings, serves as a place where colleagues from other Universities can be entertained, and assists members in their private entertaining.

University House Professors Walk

University House Professors Walk venue is the original home of the Club. It is housed on the main campus in a beautiful Victorian era home with gardens to its east and west.

University House at The Woodward

University House at The Woodward is located south of Grattan Street on the 10th floor of the Law Building on Pelham Street, featuring stunning views of the city.

University House at Lionel’s

University House at Lionel’s is located on Grant St in the Southbank precinct. It is a new cafe and performance space that is open to artists, UH members, UoM staff and the public.

For more information on the Club and its principles refer to the University House Constitution.

History

University House was established in 1952 with 270 full and associate members. It was created for the purpose of providing a centre for the community life of the University staff. University House has come to fill an essential place in the life of the University.

In 1952 The Council of the University of Melbourne permitted the building, sometimes called Grosmont, to be used as a club for University Staff.

In 1953 it was named University House. Previously, three professors had lived here with their families:
1885–1922 Professor Edward Nanson (Mathematics),
1923–1927 Professor David Rivett (Chemistry),
1927–1952 Professor Ernst Hartung (Chemistry)

The Staff Association successfully negotiated to take possession of Professor Hartung’s house on his retirement and refurbish it as University House for use as a staff club from 1953.

It was built in 1885 for Professor Nanson and later occupied by A C D (David) Rivett. Since 1955 it has enjoyed the adornment of an arched iron portico saved from Ogg’s Pharmacy in Collins Street when the City Council banned posted street verandahs. Extensions in 1960, 1965 and 1970 added the Main Dining Room, the Main Lounge, the Upper East Dining Room and the Lower East Dining Room – renamed the Matthaei Room in 2000 after the Matthaei Collection Of Early Glass on permanent exhibition in the room. In 1995 a further extension added the Karaghuesian Room, purpose built to house a collection of walnut Renaissance-revival furniture relocated from a Paris apartment.

Ernst Matthaei Memorial Collection of Early Glass, forward by Peter M Attiwill