The Collingwood Historical Society has as its area of interest the former City of Collingwood, that is, the suburbs now known as Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, and Collingwood.

This municipal district came into existence when the municipality of East Collingwood was proclaimed on 24 April 1855. At that time it included the areas which came to be known as Abbotsford and Collingwood, but within a few months the district had also annexed Clifton Hill, and the first election was held in October 1855.

Collingwood was thus the second metropolitan municipal council to be established (after South Melbourne) and the first outside the Corporation of Melbourne boundaries. It was called East Collingwood because at that time the term Collingwood also included much of the area now known as Fitzroy.

Collingwood became a Town in 1873 (dropping the already redundant prefix "East"), with a population of around 19,000. By 1876 the population had increased sufficiently for it to become a City.

In 1994 councils across Victoria amalgamated, and the City of Collingwood became part of the City of Yarra.

Collingwood Historical Society had its beginnings in the 1970s as a local interest group in the former City of Collingwood.

The Society:

• Promotes public awareness of our local history.
• Promotes the conservation of Collingwood's heritage places.
• Organises events such as talks, displays and history walks.
• Carries out research.
• Collects historical material relating to Collingwood, Clifton Hill and Abbotsford.
• Records history in the form of photos, oral history tapes, publications, and electronic resources.