Australian Music Vault

Australian Music Vault We celebrate the Australian contemporary music story – past, present and future. Incorporating the ARIA Hall of Fame.

The Australian Music Vault is a celebration of the Australian contemporary music story – past, present and future. It’s a place to explore your love of music, revisit some of the big music moments of your life and discover exciting new stories from today’s Australian music scene. The Australian Music Vault was created by Arts Centre Melbourne in consultation with the Australian music industry. In

late 2017, the Australian Music Vault opened at Arts Centre Melbourne, featuring an exhibition showcasing Australian music, innovative digital participatory experiences, iconic objects from the Australian Performing Arts Collection, and an online presence that is a fully integrated extension of the visitor experience. The Australian Music Vault inaugural patrons are Archie Roach AM, Michael Gudinski AM, Ian “Molly” Meldrum AM, Kylie Minogue AO OBE, and Tina Arena AM. Their support has helped to ensure that the Australian Music Vault continues to inspire a new generation of music makers. An initiative of the Victorian Government's Music Works strategy, the Australian Music Vault is being delivered by Arts Centre Melbourne in partnership with the music industry. page Guidelines:

We encourage the expression of opinions and open discussions on the Australian Music Vault page, but also ask that you act respectfully and responsibly. The Australian Music Vault and its properties and stakeholders, reserve the right to remove Facebook postings that are not consistent with the overall meaning and values of the brand, and the Australian Music Vault page. Posts and comments will be deleted from the Australian Music Vault page if they contain:

- Offensive, abusive, obscene, profane, hateful or racist content, links or images or implied offensive, abusive, obscene, profane, hateful or racist content links or images
- Comments that threaten or defame any person, group or organisation
- The direct, full name or descriptive reference to an individual, irrespective of the post’s tone.
- Solicitations, endorsements or advertisements by/for/of other organisations
- Multiple or repetitive posts by a single user or by a group
- Repetitive posts copied and pasted or duplicated by single or multiple users
- Anything else Australian Music Vault deems inappropriate

Repeat offenders of Australian Music Vault's page guidelines will be banned from the page.

Today we're gazing lovingly at the leather bomber jacket worn by John Farnham in his 1988 'Age of Reason' video, in cele...
01/07/2026

Today we're gazing lovingly at the leather bomber jacket worn by John Farnham in his 1988 'Age of Reason' video, in celebration of
one of Australia's greatest voices – the Voice himself.

With a career spanning more than five decades, John Farnham is one of Australia's most beloved performers. From his early days as a teen pop star to the mega-success of his 1986 LP Whispering Jack, Farnham's music has become part of Australia's cultural soundtrack. We're guessing 'You're the Voice' is ringing around your head right now.

Happy birthday to the great man. Come and genuflect at Farnham's bomber jacket in the Australian Music Vault, as well as other ephemera from his career – and the careers of many other Australian performers. Entry is free. Open daily.

📸 John Farnham performing with Little River Band, photograph by Tony Mott. Australian Performing Arts Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne.

Arts Centre Melbourne and The Australian Music Vault is saddened to hear of the passing of legendary drummer, singer and...
21/01/2026

Arts Centre Melbourne and The Australian Music Vault is saddened to hear of the passing of legendary drummer, singer and songwriter Rob Hirst.

Hirst was best known as drummer and founding member of legendary Australian band Midnight Oil. Straddling the rock/surf/punk divide, Midnight Oil rode the pub rock wave of the 1970s and 1980s with a strong social conscience, raising audience awareness of the dangers posed by environmental destruction, nuclear armament and our continuing failure to reconcile with our Indigenous and First Nations peoples. As well as a powerhouse drummer, percussionist and backing vocalist, Hirst was a key songwriter for the band and wrote or co-wrote many of the Oils greatest hits, including ‘Beds are Burning,’ ‘Dead Heart,’ Blue Sky Mine’ and ‘The Power and the Passion.’

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Hirst also worked on a number of musical side projects, inclusing Ghostwriters which he formed with Hoodoo Gurus’ bassist Rick Grossman in 1990. Many of these projects included other members of the Oils and allowed the group to explore different musical styles including blues (Backsliders, The Angry Tradesmen) and surf rock (The Breaks).

Recently, Hirst auctioned off his iconic Ludwig drum kit to raise money for two charities, Support Act and Music NT’s Fix 'Em Up Truck campaign. A remarkable fundraising effort was mounted by the Midnight Oil fan group, The Powderworkers, who raised tens of thousands of dollars to purchase it. They have offered the kit to the Australian Performing Arts Collection to ensure it is preserved and remains available to the public for generations to come.

In 2015 Hirst was at Arts Centre Melbourne to launch The Making of Midnight Oil, an exhibition celebrating the band's history, impact and legacy.

Our thoughts are with Hirst's friends and family.

Photo credits in comments ↓

A happy eighth birthday today to the Australian Music Vault. Celebrating the Australian contemporary music story since 2...
18/12/2025

A happy eighth birthday today to the Australian Music Vault.

Celebrating the Australian contemporary music story since 2017, our Vault holds a priceless collection of key instruments, costumes, memorabilia, accessories, posters and more, from Australian music history.

Open daily 10am-5pm and free entry at Theatres Building at Arts Centre Melbourne.

📸: Armelle Habib

Address

100 St Kilda Road
Melbourne, VIC
3004

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