"Meeting of a Provisional Committee of General Purposes, held at the Commercial Travellers Association Club Room, Melbourne, 14 August 1929, in connection with the proposed formation of a new Army Lodge." With these words, the Minute Book of a new Lodge was opened.

The Army Lodge was consecrated in 1929 at The Masonic Hall, at 25 Collins Street in Melbourne. Since the mid 1960s, the Army Lodge has met at the Masonic Centre in East Melbourne.

Since consecration, The Army Lodge has maintained military traditions in a way that sets it apart from other Masonic Lodges. However, where membership was once restricted to those holding commissioned rank, it is now open to any man who has an interest in and feels comfortable in a military environment, provided he is worthy of being a Freemason. Members wear their military uniforms in lieu of dinner jacket, military ranks are used to address brethren, and the south follows the format of a military mess dinner.

Over the years, members of The Army Lodge have included some notable Australians.

Since the mid-1960s, annual reciprocal visits have been conducted between The Army Lodge (478) and Lodge Army and Navy (517) in Sydney. At this annual meeting, a travelling gavel is exchanged. This custom is continued with gusto by those members who are able to make the journey. This year, Lodge Army and Navy will returned the gavel to The Army Lodge in late 2004. The following day, a BBQ was be held a the home of one of the participants in the Great Escape (not the movie - the real thing.)

On Friday 3 Dec 2004 The Army Lodge celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Lodge by conducting a reconsecration ceremony. That night a new edition of the history, edited by VWBro Capt Michael MacNeil, was distributed to members.