Our history
In 1888, the Mt Eliza executive retreat was an opulent Victorian residence with splendid gardens and vineyard built for the English pastoralist, James Grice and his family. It was subsequently sold and served as the finest hotel on the Mornington Peninsula.
In the early 1950s, the Australian Administrative Staff College was established. It was founded on the vision of Mr Geoffrey Remington, a Sydney solicitor who was convinced of the need for management education in Australia. He secured the critical support of leading Australian companies including Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP Billiton).
In 1957, the College purchased the hotel as a training facility and the first 12-week executive course was held in the same year.
In recent times the executive retreat has undergone a modern restoration and extension, remaining true to the splendid Victorian architecture.
Melbourne Business School acquired the executive retreat through the merger with Mt Eliza Business School in 2004. For five decades, the executive retreat at Mt Eliza has been, and continues to be, the most prestigious dedicated retreat in Australia for management education and executive development.