About the Australian Association of Lyceum Clubs (AALC)
The Australian Association of Lyceum Clubs Incorporated (AALC) brings together women across Australia who share a commitment to lifelong learning, cultural exchange, and meaningful connection. With Clubs located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, the AALC supports a community of around 2,000 members nationwide.
Our Purpose and Values
The AALC encourages women to actively pursue their interests in the arts, sciences, literature, music, education, philanthropy, journalism, social and public service, and other professional fields. Our mission includes:
Promoting and advancing these disciplines across Australia.
Fostering interest and participation among women in these fields.
Building friendship and association among Clubs of women worldwide who are dedicated to these disciplines.
Maintaining a national association of Lyceum Clubs in Australia to strengthen local and international connections.
Hosting a triennial national conference with themes in art, music, science, literature, and related fields.
Offering grants or scholarships (when appropriate) to encourage research and study in these areas.
Managing trust funds in support of these goals.
(Adapted from the AALC Constitution)
How We Operate
Each of the five Australian Lyceum Clubs has a representative at the Annual General Meeting, where activities are reviewed and new proposals are considered.
The Association is administered by a Secretariat on a three-year rotating basis among the member Clubs. This rotation ensures shared leadership and representation across Australia. The President of the AALC also serves as the Australian representative on the International Central Bureau, the executive body of the International Association of Lyceum Clubs (IALC).
Friendship, culture, and connection—at every stage of life.
Friendship, culture, and connection—at every stage of life.
Our History
Constance Smedley 1876 - 1941
The Australian Association of Lyceum Clubs belongs to a worldwide network which owes its beginnings in no small part to the vision and determination of an accomplished, unconventional and spirited Englishwoman, Constance Smedley.
Born in Birmingham on 20 June1876, Lyceum Clubs founder, Constance Smedley, was a successful artist, playwright, feminist journalist and author of numerous novels and children's books. Constance was ahead of her time and by her mid-twenties she had become a celebrity.
Like many great achievements, the International Association of Lyceum Clubs began as a dream—the dream of this young woman with a small group of her writer friends living in London in the early years of the twentieth century. Specifically, because professional women were at a disadvantage in not having a club for their own sex, the group began to envisage, “an ideal Club [for women] with its branches in all countries of the world”.
Despite many doubters and many hurdles along the way, they prevailed. The International Lyceum Club network began with the opening of the first Lyceum Club in London’s Piccadilly in 1904.
Members shared a common interest: a way for women to demonstrate their capacity and their talent and to claim their rights (right to vote and equality in the work environment) but also to contribute to peace between nations at a time when international relations were becoming more strained.
Today, there are some 65 Lyceum Clubs across 17 countries, with the International Association of Lyceum Clubs headquartered in Switzerland.
Formation of the AALC
The roots of the AALC lie in a strong desire for both independence and collaboration. While the five Lyceum Clubs in Australia were originally independent, international rules encouraged the formation of a national body.
In 1990, under the leadership of Mrs. Lois Mander-Jones, the Association pursued formal incorporation to gain legal status. With collaboration from Mrs. Mary Wyness (Secretary) and Mrs. Mary Nicholls (Treasurer), a constitution was drafted, agreed, and submitted to the Corporate Affairs Commission of South Australia. The Australian Association of Lyceum Clubs Incorporated was officially inaugurated on 14 September 1992.
In 1999, the AALC also registered as an Australian Registered Body (ARBN 087 248 397) with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), to comply with federal requirements.
A Living Legacy
Today, the Australian Association of Lyceum Clubs continues to support women in pursuing knowledge, cultural understanding, and global friendship. Our rotating Secretariat, national conferences, local activities, and international connections ensure that members can keep learning, contributing, and building lasting friendships—both at home and around the world.