Recently, the ASV Council decided to form a new section for members interested in the Great Melbourne Telescope. Like all of the Sections of the ASV, membership of the GMT Section is open to all members of the ASV and is free.

For some years, a team of volunteers has been working on the restoration of the GMT. The volunteers work at the Museum Victoria Annex at Moreland every Wednesday, under the supervision of museum staff. The present restoration team numbers around 20 which is the maximum number of people that the Museum can handle.

The purpose of the new Section is to allow ASV members, who cannot attend the weekly working sessions, to keep abreast of developments. The Director of the GMT section will be Jim Pollock. Jim has been working on the project since 2008.

The new Section will meet in the Great Melbourne Telescope House at Melbourne Observatory in February, April, June, August, October and December at 7.00pm, one hour before the start of the ASV Monthly Meeting (the second Wednesday of the month.)

Activities of the Section will include lectures and presentations by guest speakers and periodic inspection of the restoration work at Moreland.

The ASV is heavily involved with the restoration of the Great Melbourne Telescope. Working closely with Museum Victoria and Royal Botanic Gardens the aim is to restore the telescope to working order so that it may be used for educational and public viewing.

The project team has a dedicated website greatmelbournetelescope.org.au