From 1950 Serle taught Australian History at the University of Melbourne, and after 1961 was Reader in History at the newly established Monash University. His first book appeared in 1957; The Melbourne Scene was a selection of documents relating to Victoria and was edited with James Grant.Geoffrey Serle and James Grant (1957) The Melbourne Scene 1803-1956. Melbourne University Press
John Ritchie's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography makes pointed reference to Serle's passion for Australia. When Ritchie sent him a letter from London in 1972 "extolling the virtues of England, [Serle] sent a postcard in reply: on one side it had a painting by Tom Roberts, on the other he wrote, aut Australia, aut nihil."meaning roughly "Either Australia or nothing." Recounted in http://adb.anu.edu.au/node/54</ref>
Serle was appointed Order of Australia in 1986. He married Jessie Macdonald in 1955, and together they had a daughter and three sons.
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