VlachernaiPage

The first garrison formed, it began in 1981 in Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria. It has had many ups and downs over the last 20 years, and has spun off many of he mediaeval re-enactment societies curently active in Victoria - Islendica, Nordmannia, Ravensguard and others owe their origins to people who were originally members of the New Varangian Guard. Among the founding members were Bev Lane, Tim Dawson, Steve and Marg Nicolle, Michael Docherty, Alison Cowling and Roy Castell.

Originally simply known as Melbourne garrison, it took the name Vlachernai,from the district in the north-west of the Byzantine capital City, Constantinople, near the Golden Horn harbour, where the Emperors built their summer palace.

For some years the sole NVG group in Melbourne grew steadily, with occasional forays northward to other States, notably the Second Australian Warriors' Conference, held in New South Wales in 1983, plus annual get-togethers at Gundaroo, outside Canberra until 1984, and Odinfest, held by 1066 at Castle Mountain outside Sydney. In Victoria itself, the NVG hosted annual feasts at Montsalvat a mediaeval-style arists' colony outside Melbourne, known for hard drinking, roistering and good fellowship.

Vlachernai divided its combatants into "files" - small groups of fighters each of which adopted a group "nationality", each group training and fighting as a unit. One of the groups was a Norse file, but the others are unknown to me; it would be worthwhile for others to fill in this information. The purpose, among others, was to gain a better understanding of the tactical use of co-ordinated groups rather than bunches of individuals, as had always been the case in Australian re-enactment. They became very effective in group combats, showing their tactical skills at the 1st Wagga Gathering in September 1993.

In March 1994 Vlachernai was invited to take part in the Moomba procession, Melbourne's biggest street festival. A group of Varangian warriors in full armour, with Byzantine banners flying, escorted the Empress, herself carried on a sedan chair by four burly Varangians, and waving to the crowds. Of all the floats in the "Sports and Hobbies" category, Vlachernai was awarded first prize.

Melbourne/Vlachernai Garrison has spun off several non-affiliated groups of re-enactors. Islendica (late 1990?) Nordmannia (early 1996?) and Ravensguard (1998?)

In 1989 Melbourne began a singing and musical group. They achieved a very high standard of musicianship. In September Tim Dawson received a grant to buy musical instruments, and the first mediaeval music prcatice took place at Rob Ely's house on September 26th. The group took the name Tisiphone's Children, and had its first public performance at Christmas 1989. It performed at the Cataract Mediaeval Convention of 1991, and the influence has lingered, though the group no longer exists.

Ratatosk has been the newsletter of Melbourne/Vlachernai garrison, since the Varangian Voice became the magazine of the NVG as a whole in 1988. It is named after the small squirrel-like animal which lived in Yggdrasil, the mighty tree at the centre of Asgard, the home of the Viking gods.

A somewhat more raucous and far less respectable, musical group, the 'Vlachernai Boys' Choir', flourished around about 1994. We draw a veil of oblivion over their doings, other than to mention that two of their songs "Favourite Things" and The Varangian Bootwalk" still cause some to wake screaming in the night . . .

In about 1997, Vlachernai garrison acquired an enormous hall in Footscray, an inner Melbourne suburb, for training and storage A naming feast was held (predictably, perhaps, the hall was called 'The Vlachernai). Gear was produced, trainign was carried out, and new mmbers learnt theropes. The hall was even big enough to carry out archery inside. Eventually, it became impossible to continue paying the rent on the hall, and it had to be abandoned.

The hall was also where the first (and second) Varangian traction trebuchets were built, as well as a considerable amount of Viking furniture and other items.