About Us

Shriners International, based in Tampa, Florida, is the executive governing body of all Shrine Temples and clubs globally. The members of the Imperial Divan can be found on the following website link and their personal information can be found by clicking the “Read Biography” button under each Officer’s photograph. (https://www.shrinersinternational.org/Shriners/Organization/ImperialDivan)

There are approximately 350,000 members from 203 Shrine Temples and more than 2,700 clubs, located in the U.S.A., Canada, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, UK, Europe, and Australia. Shrine applicants must be Master Masons in good standing within their Lodge and jurisdiction.

Shriners International appoints sponsoring Temples to assist clubs forming in other countries. Our sponsoring Shrine Temple was Aahmes Shriners (www.aahmes.org). They are in Livermore California and were charged with overseeing the formation and running of all Shrine clubs being formed in Australia, until such time as dispensation was granted for Australia to form its first Shrine Temple, which is called “Acrux Shriners”. We thank Aahmes Shriners for their wonderful support over the years, in particular Illustrious Sir Mike Cornell and Lady Norma Cornell for their many visits and the huge support they have provided us.

Shriners Australia (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2366910170080888) was the governing body for all Shrine clubs in Australia, but this has now become the responsibility of Acrux Shriner(UD) (www.acruxshriners.org).

At present we have:-

  • One Shrine Club in Victoria (Melbourne Shrine Club), with a second club forming.
  • One Shrine Club in Queensland (Brisbane Shrine Club) with Toowoomba Shrine Club being dedicated at the November 9th Ceremonial in Brisbane.
  • One Shrine Club in New South Wales (Sydney Shrine Club) with the Hunter Valley Shrine Club being dedicated on 10 August in Warners Bay, NSW.
  • One Shrine Club in Perth, Western Australia; and
  • Adelaide Shrine Club is currently being established in South Australia

At the Shriners International Imperial Session, held in Reno, Nevada on 29 June to 04 July this year, a vote was taken, and approval granted, for the creation of Acrux Shriners Temple here in Australia. Acrux Shriners, Under Dispensation (UD) has been granted  jurisdiction for the “Commonwealth of Australia” and is now the governing body of all Australian Shrine clubs, much like a Grand Lodge has jurisdiction over its Lodges.

The Executive body of Acrux Shriners (UD) is called the “Divan” and its members are listed in the following link from the Acrux Shriners website: http://www.acruxshriners.org/divan/ and the details of each member can be seen by clicking on the “Biography” button under each member’s photograph.

The total number of members, currently, throughout Australia is around 220 Nobles and this is increasing at a fast pace. We are aiming to have 330+ members by the New Year, after which we will then apply to Shriners International for our full “Charter”. We need a minimum of 300 members before this can be done. All things going well, we expect to have our Charter by the first week of July in 2025 when the Imperial Session next meets.

Regarding Shrine history, click here to download a pdf booklet with the background history on the foundation and philanthropy of Shrinedom in the USA.

In America, Shriners Hospitals for Children is committed to providing specialised care to children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate, and certain other special health care needs, regardless of the families’ ability to pay. In Australia we have the Royal Children’s Hospitals for Children, which do a marvellous job at treating children for a vast range of injuries, illnesses and conditions.

We have no desire to reinvent the wheel here in Australia. We already have wonderful hospitals that support the needs of children.

In Australia, we focus on small, or boutique charities that receive little or no government or community funding, where we can make a difference through our philanthropic and personal efforts to assist the seriously ill, injured or incapacitated children. Shrine Clubs must comply with the constitution and rules of the Grand Lodge in their State and adhere to the tenets of Freemasonry. Each Shrine Club may determine the Children’s Charity they wish to support.

The Melbourne Shrine Club was formed on 10-10-2010 by a small group of Masons who wanted to be more involved in community charities, particularly involving children. We wanted to find another avenue where we could carry out the Tenets of Freemasonry, but in a more focused and community-oriented way. As Shriners, we are adding another perspective to the way Freemasons are viewed within the community, giving us more exposure, and reinforcing our philanthropic efforts, while at the same time providing us with tremendous satisfaction in helping children in our communities, with serious injuries, illnesses, or impairments.