It was established by Council in December 1991 to provide a musical competition for the area, following the closure of the Hartwell Eisteddfod.
Following council amalgamations in 1994, Camberwell became part of the new City of Boroondara and the Eisteddfod was renamed to account for this change.
[1] During the redevelopment of the Hawthorn Town Hall into a regional arts centre, the Eisteddfod's main venues became unavailable.
This necessitated moving events to other venues across Boroondara, including the Methodist Ladies' College, Camberwell Town Hall and Kew Court House.
A number of other awards, mostly donated from individual benefactors or community groups, are also open to competitors in particular sections.