Founder of the College

Marjorie Milner (photograph bottom right) was awarded the Floristry Hall of Fame in 1991. This was the first year the Australian Florists and Allied Trades Association awarded the Hall of Fame. This summed up the achievements of Marjorie Milner and her great contribution to the florist industry. Marjorie Milner was the first Australian florist chosen to represent Interflora (Aust.) Unit Ltd. at the first International demonstration of floral designers. This was the forerunner of the Interflora World Cup. Her father was a flower grower who later branched into commercial floristry and her mother was a school teacher.

In 1969, to further her floristry skills, she travelled to England to undertake further studies and embarked on a study tour around the world. Marjorie Milner demonstrated in all states of Australia, served on the Victorian/ Tasmanian Interflora committee for fifteen years and she conducted numerous seminars and workshops for the industry.

In 1984 the Industrial Training Commission awarded her a Floristry Tradesmans Certificate on Merrit. Only five were awarded by merrit in Victoria. Trading locations in floristry from 1945 were numerous including Acland Street St.Kilda, Carlisle Street Balaclava, Bridge Road Richmond, Swan Street Richmond, Gertrude Street Collingwood, High Street Kew, Bourke Street Melbourne, Collins Street Melbourne, Royal Arcade Melbourne, Little Bourke Street Melbourne, Chapel Street Windsor, Chapel Street Prahran, Elizabeth Street Melbourne, Little Collins Street Melbourne and Hilton Hotel East Melbourne. Most of these outlets traded under the name Marjorie Milner and through the years were sold without the trading name. Many of these stores are still trading today.

Marjorie Milner was a highly successful and respected businesswoman who also had business interests in other retail outlets besides floristry. Her passion was the education and advancement of the floral industry. The College was operated by Marjorie Milner from 1946 and a partnership in the school and all retail outlets was formed with her son in 1975. Marjorie Milner gave her last industry demonstration at Chaucers in Melbourne in 1984. She demonstrated with her son. Marjorie Milner wrote a book on the History of Floristry in Australia, she died in Japan, 1995, whilst on a world cruise.

Student Success in Floral Industry Competitions

The students studying at Marjorie Milner College win more Floristry Industry Competitions than any other students training at other providers. The success of our students spans many decades.

It should be noted that MMC teachers include an Interflora National Judge and a former Interflora World Cup Competitor to guide the students. No other college offers this expertise to its students in Floristry. Previous years succcess's can be obtained at the College. This list shows students' success from 2006.

2006

Winner of the Victorian Floristry Apprentice of the Year
Winner of the National Finals of the Worldskills Competition (top Australian apprentice in Floristry)
Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Intermediate Section
Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Advanced Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Junior Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Intermediate Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Senior Section
Second and Third in the Interflora District Two Accredited Provider Challenge (T.A.F.E. Cup)
Winner Interflora District Two Florist of the Future

2007

International Worldskills Competition 7th In the World (held in Japan)
Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Intermediate Section
Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Advanced Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Junior Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Intermediate Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Senior Section
Winner Interflora District Two Accredited Provider Challenge (T.A.F.E. Cup)
Winner Victorian Heat the Oasis Cup
Winner Interflora District Two Florist of the Future (Tasmanian heat)

 
2008

Winner of the Victorian World Skills Competition, Rural Victoria heat
Winner Victorian Heat of World Skills Competition, Melbourne heat
Two Students Representing Victoria at the National Finals in Sydney to be held in July (results below)
Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Intermediate Section
Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Advanced Section
Bronze award for Marjorie Milner College Main Stand (MIF&GS)
3rd Prize in Window Display Marjorie Milner College (MIF&GS) Designed & Created by Certificate IV Student Hannah Symons
2nd Prize in the National Worldskills Final (Sydney)
3rd Prize in the National WorldSkills Final (Sydney)
Winner Interflora District Two Florist of the Future
Winner Interflora District Two Rising Star
Winner of the Victorian Floristry Apprentice of the Year
Winner of the Interflora National Final Florist of the Future
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Junior Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Intermediate Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Senior Section
Winner Victorian Heat the Oasis Cup

2009

Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Advanced Section
Highly Commended Tesselaars Window Display @ Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Winner of the Teleflora Tasmanian Tafe Cup Senior Section
Winner of the Teleflora Tasmanian Tafe Cup Junior Section
Winner of the Victorian / Tasmanian Floristry Apprentice of the Year
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Junior Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Intermediate Section
Winner of the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association Senior Section
Winner Interflora District Two Florist of the Future
2nd Prize in the Interflora District Two Rising Star
Winner Victorian Heat of World Skills Competition, Melbourne heat
Winner of the Victorian World Skills Competition, Rural Victoria heat
Winner Victorian Heat the Oasis Cup
Winner of the National Oasis Cup
Winner of the Apack Online Cup

2010

Winner Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Intermediate Section
Winner of the Tesselaars Window Display @ Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Winner of the National Finals of the Worldskills Competition (top Australian apprentice in Floristry)

Teachers at Marjorie Milner College

Gregory R. Milner
M.Ed., B.Ed.T., Dip. Tech. T., Principal T.Tr.I.C., F.T.C., Dip. Int. Judging

Gregory Milner was educated at Trinity Grammar School, Kew. Following into a family of two generations associated with retail and floristry he first competed in an Interflora competition at age fourteen. He also demonstrated that year at a country educational school for Interflora at Hamilton Victoria. In 1969 he accompanied his mother on a world trip and on the return commenced work in their store at 112 Bourke Street Melbourne. He also commenced as a student teacher assisting with evening classes at the school. A store in Little Bourke Street store was opened in 1975. Gregory was demonstrating extensively around Victoria and Australia. He sat for his Interflora judges qualification at Canberra in 1977 and in 1978 commenced formal teacher training. During his second year of teacher training he was involved with the running four of the families retail stores. Gregory has continued through the years with his studies obtaining the qualifications of a Trained Trade Instructors' Certificate, Diploma of Technical Teaching, Degree in Education Technical and he has completed his Masters of Education at the University of Melbourne. Gregory holds a Floristry Tradesmans Certificate (1984), a Certificate IV in Floristry and he is an accredited R.P.L. (Recognition of Prior Learning) assessor as well as a workplace assessor. He served for twelve years on the Interflora committee and he is a past chairman of Interflora Victoria/Tasmania.

Gregory Milner is a businessman who has been successful in many forms of business including floristry, clothing, bridal industry, education, property mangement and developement.

He also enjoys associations with other industry associations such as Teleflora, Smithers Oasis and Australian Florist Sundries. He has demonstrated for each of these companies. He has taught for T.A.F.E. Tasmania and for R.M.I.T. in business studies. Gregory wrote his first book in 1984 titled " The Art of Flower Arrangement" and later books included " Wedding Flowers', " The Complete Book of Flower Arrangement" and "Fresh Cut Flowers". The Complete book is a suggested reference on the national curriculum. Gregory Milner has designed and made twenty-four training DVD's and these are sold around the world. Gregory has conducted numerous seminars and demonstrated across Australia and other countries. He was inducted into the Floristry Hall of Fame in 1999. He has taught and demonstrated regularly in Japan and in 2001 he was invited to judge in Nagoya, Japan in the presence of their Imperial Highnesses the Imperial Prince and Princess of Japan. He then flew to America to demonstrate at the Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco. Gregory demonstrated and lectured in England in 2005. He retired from retail in 2000 and he is working harder than ever ensuring the College is the industry leader in training.
Email: info@marjoriemilner.edu.au

Gregory and Vicky Milner

Nicole Gibson
BAdultLrng&Devt

Nicole Gibson trained as an apprentice under the studio of Alan Gollings in Balaclava. The Gollings studio standards are well known and respected throughout the florist industry. Marjorie Milner and Alan Gollings demonstrated throughout the years on many industry occasions. Nicole obtained the highest mark for her final assessment and received the award of top third year apprentice. Nicole studied to obtain the Certificate IV in Floristry at Marjorie Milner College and she has furthered her floristry and retail knowledge in several varied outlets. Nicole won first place in the open section of the Australian Florist and Allied Trades Association competition , 2001. Nicole has a keen industry interest and currently she is the secretary of the Australian Florists and Allied Trades Association. Nicole has qualified as a judging steward and has completed her formal teacher training Degree in Education at Monash University. Nicole holds a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment. Nicole is very active in the Floral industry with her involvement in the Australian Florists' and Allied Trades Association.
Email: nicole@marjoriemilner.edu.au

Winners of the 2008 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
from left: Vicky, Sarah, Greg, Sarah & Nicole

Beverley Greenwood
BAdultLrng&Devt

Beverley Greenwood started her journey into natural therapies in London in 1968 and is constantly updating her qualifications and knowledge base every year. Her qualifications are as follows:

• Diplomas of Beauty Therapy: CIDESCO ,ITEC, CIBTAC
• WRB50105 Diploma of Beauty Therapy
• HLT50307 Diploma of Massage
• Diplomas of Aromatherapy
• Diploma of Health Science: Remedial Massage
• Diplomas of Reflexology
• Certificates in Lymphatic drainage, Kinesiology, Reconnective therapy; Crystals, Clay therapy
• TAA40104 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment           
• Diploma of Teaching
• Bachelor of Adult Learning & Development
• Bachelor of Health Science: ( Naturopathy) (in progress)

She is a multi modality practitioner and international lecturer in:

• natural beauty therapy
• aromatherapy
• remedial massage
• reflexology
• kinesiology

Beverley opened Cleopatra’s Needle School of Beauty Therapy in 1981 and was the first internationally accredited college with CIBTAC, ITEC and CIDESCO in Victoria. She bought the Natural Skincare College and amalgamated the two colleges in 1997. Bev is now the head teacher of the beauty and massage department at MMC.

 

James Milner
B.Ed., B.A.

James is the fourth generation in retailing in the Milner family. He holds a Bachelor of Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts. He also holds a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment. James has been involved in multiple retail outlets and received long service leave at the Woolworth Supermarket chain. He has trained staff at Safeway and retail training is his passion. James is also experienced in archaeology with many expititions to Egypt. His confidence and enthusiasm is of great benefit to our students.
Email: james@marjoriemilner.edu.au

Vicky Milner

Vicky handles accounts and government reporting requirements. A book-keeper by profession, Vicky is a director of the college and she has had involvement with the Retail and Florist industry for over thirty years. She has travelled the world promoting our college.

Tientsje Kernan

Tientsje Kernan is a qualified florist who assists Marjorie Milner College during block classes in Tasmania.  Her qualifications include a  Certificate II, III and IV in Floristry and a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment. Tientsje has worked in florist shops across Victoria and Tasmania and is highly experienced and very approachable.  Tientsje is an experienced demonstrator.

Lyndell Parker

Lyndell Parker is a very successful businesswoman. She has run multiple retail businesses over the last thirty years and Lyndell brings an enormous amount of expertise in retail and floristry to our students. Lyndell has operated florist shops in the Melbourne CBD as well as Footscray and Moorabbin . She has operated ladies fashion outlets ranging from clothing to a full range of female accessories. She also operated a dried and framed bridal business for over twenty years. In partnership with Gregory Milner, Lyndell operated one of the largest bridal bouquet businesses in Australia . Lyndell has one of the most impressive competition portfolios of any florist in the country. Lyndell is a former Interflora World Cup competitor. Lyndell retired from competition work in 1986 and she has given numerous demonstrations across Australia and overseas. Lyndell is a fourth generation florist (her mother, Patricia Kelly, is a former Chairperson of Interflora (Vic/Tas.) and the expertise Lyndell brings to our students regarding floristry and retailing is held in the highest esteem.

Lyndell's competition results include -

The History of the College

Marjorie Milner College enjoys strong support from the floral industry as well as the retail trade in general. Our floristry students obtain more success in industry competitions than those from any other training provider.

Marjorie Milner College was founded by the Late Marjorie Milner in 1946. It is the longest operating floristry school in Australia and now functions as Marjorie Milner College. The nationally accredited scope of training for the college covers many facets of retail, floristry and beauty therapy. The function of the school, as it was at that time, was to train floristry staff in the skills associated with the craft of floristry and to learn retail skills. Classes were held during the day as well as evening.

The school originated in Bridge Road Richmond and in 1963 moved to the Kew Junction. Numerous staff and principals of floral and retail studios have been trained through the school. In 1969 the school expanded and Mrs. Patricia Kelly, a well known florist, joined the school and taught classes with Marjorie Milner. Gregory Milner, Marjorie Milner's son, commenced in retail management and as a student teacher in 1969. Patricia Kelly found the demands of running three shops and teaching too difficult and retired from the school in 1971. Both Marjorie Milner and Gregory Milner were taking classes. In 1977 the floral industry, in consultation with the Victorian Government, proclaimed a floristry apprenticeship. This enabled teachers to be formally trained and Gregory Milner commenced at the State College of Victoria at Hawthorn in 1978 to obtain a teaching qualification. ( see profile for further details).

The school continued to grow and in 1993 and again in 1998 the school moved to larger premises along High Street Kew. Registration with the State Government of Victoria as a Registered Training Organisation took place in 1994. This allowed for Government funding to be available for the training of floristry students. Marjorie Milner lectured for many years to the floral industry. She continued her studies in England and she has represented Australia at an international forum. In 1991 she was honoured with the induction to the Floristry Hall of Fame. Both she and son, Gregory, operated various retail outlets from floristry to ladies fashion, accessories and Bridal salons. All outlets were extremely successful. Marjorie Milner passed away in Japan in 1995 whilst travelling on a world cruise. Gregory Milner was inducted into the Floristry Hall of Fame in 1999. Gregory Milner also taught business studies at R.M.I.T. for a two year period in conjunction with his classes at Marjorie Milner College. The school was awarded an extension to the scope of registration in 2001 through the State Training Board, now known as the Office of Employment, Training and Tertiary Education. The school changed in 2001 to Marjorie Milner College and the College moved to its current site at the modern building situated at 401 Canterbury Road Surrey Hills.

The college expanded from its retail base into information technology and accounting. In 2006 the college expanded into the City of Geelong where I.T. and accounting were taught. Degree and Master qualifications were taught in conjunction with The University of Ballarat.

Today Marjorie Milner College is the largest floristry industry based trainer in the country. In 2008 the College was in the process of expanding into beauty therapy. With a close affiliation with the Natural Skincare College MMC is passionate about providing exceptional education with their new courses.