• They provided a source of entertainment for the members. Many lodges held their meetings in hotels or licensed public halls. They developed a sense of comradeship, loyalty and pride among their members.

• They developed a reputation for, and were acknowledged as, a civic-minded organisation that promoted benevolence to their fellow Australians. Members both native born and immigrants from around the world became one body of Druids, determined to help each other and help develop their fledgling country into a great nation. The Comradeship developed, we know that lodge members banded together to help each other in times of need. They worked together to build lodge halls and many Druids Halls appeared both within the suburbs and country areas.

•Working together, caring for each other in times of need and sharing joyous occasions, helped forge the qualities of mateship that have become so typically Australian.

History shows that great numbers of young lodge members joined up together and went off to fight during times of war. Honour Boards list the many that went into battle, and sadly they commemorate those that fell in battle and did not return to the lodge rooms.

The Druids desire to help their fellow Australians is well documented. The Society held many functions and festivities to raise funds for its members in need and for Charities in the wider community. The Druids Galas became a well know feature on Melbourne's activities calendar. A parade of Druids marched up Swanston Street to the Exhibition Buildings where fetes, amusements and activities were held for all to enjoy. These marches and fetes may have been building blocks to events such as Moomba. The results of the fund raising efforts built Druids wings and entire floors in many Victorian hospitals. Countless charities received generous grants and donations of much needed equipment was given to many organisations.

In times of war the Druids were also there, the result of several fund raising activities saw three of the most modern equipped ambulances donated to the Australian Army during the Second World War. The Society's Funds were also put to use and the majority of lodges invested their funds in War Bonds to help fund the efforts made by our gallant fighting members.

Times have changed and there are so many forms of entertainment and activities to occupy modern Australians. Those that join the Druids however find that the Australian spirit of comradeship, the compassionate sense of benevolence and mutuality, still exist.