The history of the East Melbourne Group starts with a group of concerned residents who in 1953 fought to save the elm trees lining George Street, East Melboourne, from being axed by the City Council. One block of trees were saved. Seventy years later the EMG is considered a force to be reckoned with as it carries on the, not always successful, battle to save East Melbourne from inappropriate development. The book tracks the work of the EMG through many of its more prominent cases, and as it does so brings to life many of the hard working individuals who have helped maintain its drive.
The book was written as a project of the East Melbourne Historical Society. Author, Jill Fenwick OAM, was president of the society 2006-2019 and, as at 2023, remains on the committee.