Vermont South, Victoria

Vermont South Melbourne, Victoria
Morack Road, Vermont South
Vermont South
Coordinates	37.851°S 145.183°E / -37.851; 145.183
Population	11,954 (SAL 2021)
Postcode(s)	3133
Area	6.3 km2 (2.4 sq mi)
Location	26 km (16 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Whitehorse
State electorate(s)	Glen Waverley
Federal division(s)	Deakin
Suburbs around Vermont South: Forest Hill Vermont Wantirna Burwood East Vermont South Wantirna South Glen Waverley Glen Waverley Wantirna South

Vermont South is a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, 26 km (16 miles) east of its Central Business District. It had a population of 11,954 at the 2021 census.

The eastern boundary is Dandenong Creek, which flows from the Dandenong Ranges through to Port Phillip. The suburb was mostly developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, after developers bought the apple orchards in the area.

History

Before the first European colonialists, the landscape was thickly timbered bushland, occupied by the Wurundjeri, Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation, who spoke variations of the Woiwurrung language group. They were hunters and gatherers, camping near the creeks and gullies of the area now known as Bellbird Dell. The creek flowed from immediately north of the Dell, through it and on to join the Dandenong Creek.

The first settlers, who were woodcutters and charcoal burners, came in the 1850s before land sales. This independent life was steadily encroached upon by settlers eager to own land and tame it for farming. Selectors marked out, leased and improved allotments, which would enable them to gain freehold titles from the Crown. The area was first surveyed in August 1855 by E. Hodgkinson, District Surveyor for the Survey General's Office of Victoria.

At a public auction in October 1855 in Melbourne, Crown Land was selected by settlers Charles Burrell (134 acres) and John Lobb (475 acres) at a cost of £1 per acre. In May 1856, William Morton was granted 2 allotments totalling 471 acres. Thomas Lavidge, an agricultural labourer who arrived from England in 1848, had acquired a landholding of 340 acres by the 1870s. These five allotments make up the area now designated as Vermont South.

Temporary wattle and daub huts were erected and later substantial timber cottages. An 1862 proposal envisioned a 475-acre property subdivided for the Town of Norwich, which would have formed around a market surrounded by vineyards and market gardens, however, this never eventuated.

By the 1880s, apart from some general farming, orchards dominated much of the landscape. The peak of growing fruit was 1930-39 followed by a steady decline due to labour shortages and lack of markets during 1939-1945. Beginning in the late 1960s and continuing into the 70s and 80s, the orchards and farms were subdivided to tackle the housing demand.

Housing developments

Aerial view of Burwood Rise Estate, 1970

The Burwood Rise estate, located between Livingstone and Stanley Roads and around Dalroy Crescent and Consort Avenue, was constructed in stages between 1968-1971 and was the suburb's first major housing development. Created by Vista, an associate company of Forest Hill Heights, who owned the Forest Hill Shopping Centre, the project aimed to create housing for potential customers. The scheme began when Bill Gelfand, one of the partners in Michelson Gelfand, wondered about the possibilities of the land east of Springvale Road. The initial purchase of more than 80 acres cost $640,000 and five farmers were paid $8,000 per acre. Over 270 lots were released across five stages, creating Charlesworth Park and the Dalroy Crescent Reserve. Fankhauser Drive is named after the Fankhauser family, who owned one of the orchards acquired for the development. Their homestead was built c.1962 and remained at the corner of Burwood Highway and Stanley road until it was demolished to make way for the Ramsay Gardens apartments building in 2019.

The 1968 Sunrise Hill subdivisions at the intersection of Weeden Drive and Springvale Road had 160 lots, creating Wildwood Avenue and several courts named after tree species. The adjoining 10 acres of bushland was cleared and a section of the East Burwood Drain was put underground for the 33-lot Sherwood Rise estate in 1968/69. Two orchards and a farm were acquired for a 163-lot housing development off Burwood Highway at Coppabella Way. Sites at Kolonga court were developed later and sold as house and land packages c. 1980. Around 1968, developers purchased two orchards at Burwood Highway and created a 98-lot estate at Fortescue Grove and Minerva Crescent. Deva Ideal Homes and Executive Homes had display villages on opposite corners of Fortescue Grove. Winning entries from a 1969 RAIA design competition formed the basis for a display village of twenty houses at Shalimar Court and Parkleigh Court, designated as the Blue Flame Project. Constructed in 1970/71 and co-sponsored by the Gas & Fuel Corporation, it included houses by noted architects such as Ronald Monsbourgh, Albert Ross, Sergei Halafoff, John Reid and John Herniman.

A company called Glen Bay Heights acquired a dilapidated orchard directly south of the St Thomas More's Boys College (now Emmaus College) and developed a residential estate in 1972 - which created the north sections of Hawthorn & Mullens Roads and Cascade Drive. The ambitious Vintage Gardens estate was a house-and-land package development by Stocks & Holdings. The estate is identifiable by it's streets which are named after famous Australian wineries such as Great Western Drive, Borossa Avenue and Mildara Street. The first release of 50 lots occurred just before Christmas in 1972 and home buyers were given a selection of a dozen bottles of wine from the adjoining Vermont Winery. In the early 1970s, Development Underwriting released the 170-lot Forest Hill Park estate at the north end of Livingstone Road. The first 82 lots were offered in late 1972. A majority of the land had originally belonged to orchardists Albert and Rene Stevens, who resided at their homestead The Wattles. Alrene Court is named after them and Glenda Court, Jennifer Court, and Dianne Grove are named after their three daughters. Development Underwriting also created the 163-lot Vermont Views estate in 1973, which occupies the land between Hawthorn Road and Hanover Road. The Sara Heights Estate was sold off between 1973-1975 and had 240 home sites - creating Charlnet Drive, Narracan Street, Torwood Drive, Licola Street and Currajong Street.

Roy Anderson's flower farm was subdivided for housing in 1973, creating Murchison Avenue and Wynne Court. An estate consisting mostly of house-and-land packages was developed between Terrara Park and George Road in 1973, extending Great Western Drive to George Road and creating Galea and Chablis Crescents. Neeta Land Sales began advertising 130 lots at an estate on the west corner of Terrara Road and Burwood Highway in 1974, which created Warrington Avenue, Hempstead Avenue and five courts. Eric and George Fankauser subdivided their 41-acre orchard property on Highbury Road in 1974 for the Tyrol Orchard Estate, named after their family who immigrated from Tyrol, Austria in the 1860s. The estate includes Lindau Drive, Lascelle Drive, Donbirn Way and several courts. An orchard, presumably owned by the Rose Family, was demolished and divided for the Carrington Heights Estate at Delacombe Drive and Winjallock Crescent, which had over 90 lots and was first released in 1975. Land at the Burmont Heights estate - including Highmont Drive, Hartland Road and Ballina Terrace - was first offered in 1975.

Macquarie Builders, a division of international developer Kaiser Aetna, acquired 60 acres of land between Burwood Highway and Highbury Road and established the 220-lot Pioneer Ridge estate (not to be confused with a development of the same name in Meredith). Here, the street names share a traditionalist theme - as evident in Overland Drive, Colonial Drive, Stockmans Drive, Explorers Court and Shearers Court. Buyers could choose between 25 varieties of brick veneer homes ranging from 12½ squares to 29 squares in floorspace, and were built with Glen Iris bricks, Gainsborough fittings and locally-sourced timber. Some blocks were offered without houses. Three orchards and a disused farm were acquired for the development, with the first stage of construction commencing in late 1973. The last few lots had been sold by 1979. The original homesteads, which were demolished for the estate, were roughly located at the sites now designated as 516 & 530 Burwood Highway and 30-32 Overland Drive. The estate was originally served by a milk bar, which operated at the east corner of Overland Drive & Weeden Drive, but had closed by 2001.

Vermont Park was established by Merchant Builders as a cluster housing estate in 1976. Situated on greater-than 8-acre site, it was initially centred around the Open House (OH), a system-built dwelling designed by Sydney architect Terry Dorrough, which later won an architectural award. In 1977, five variations of this design were constructed at Vermont Park, along with examples of other standardised designs known as the Corner House (CR) and the Long House (LR). A fourth design, the Pavilion House, was introduced in 1978. The estate ultimately included more than fifty homes within a landscaped setting, with connecting pathways, roadways, and communal facilities such as a swimming pool and barbecue area. Vermont Park was masterplanned by Tract (Merchant Builders' in-house landscape architects and planners), with houses by Graeme Gunn, Terry Dorrough and Cocks & Carmichael.

The Lend Lease corporation acquired 16 acres from the Livermore family in 1974 and constructed the Wingwood Close estate. Released in mid-1977, the development had 49 lots, most of which were offered as house-and-land packages. The original weatherboard homestead, Winswood, was retained on a double-block at 13-15 Verona Street but was demolished in 2016 and subsequently replaced by four townhouses. Winswood Close is named after the homestead and Livermore Close is named after it's original occupants. Lend Lease also developed the 25-acre Morack Forest Estate, which was designed in 1976 and constructed in 1977-78. It created Talarno Avenue, a circuit with four adjoining courts. Part of the land was originally an orchard owned by the O'Brien family. Executive Homes designed homes at both the estates. An 8-acre Apple orchard was cleared and subdivided for a housing estate with 27 lots in 1977/78, creating Danielle Court and a continuation of Murchison Avenue. The Corstorphans kept their 1950s homestead on a 2,099 m² block, which remains at 11-13 Murchison Avenue, albeit under different ownership.

The estate encompassing Mellissa Grove and Head Court was created in 1977 by the Land Sales & Development corporation, replacing an abandoned farm. It was advertised as “.. a new release of large fully serviced home sites - most blocks have views over surrounding areas to [the] Dandenongs and have no building problems.” Anywhere from 50-100% of the estate's lots were offered as house and land packages. Several 'craftsman-built' were completed at the estate in early 1978 and first advertised in April, briefly operated as display homes.

Stanley Road was extended north by 200 metres in 1986 as part of the St James Park Estate - creating Dorene Court, Murray Court and Gibbon Avenue. Previously undeveloped land at the end of Wilpena Close and Myriong Avenue was replaced by the Windsor Hill estate in 1985. The Ministry of Housing and A.V. Jennings Homes worked in partnership to establish the Vermont Rise estate at Village Walk and Kara Walk between 1986-88. The Urban Land Authority, which was set up to unload and develop surplus government land, created the 46-lot Pioneer Rise estate at the east end of Weeden Drive and the 29-lot Parkview Estate at Mitchelton Court in 1988. The Vermont Heights estate in and around Prestbury Drive and Oxford Grove was developed between 1993-96. Buyers were entered into a draw to win $100,000 in cash. The Winton Rise estate was constructed on an irregularly-shaped 15-acre land parcel west of Stanley Road in 1995-96 and includes Adrian Avenue. In the early 2000s, Australand Holdings acquired much of the former Wobbies World site at Springvale Road and developed the Saxonwood estate, which comprises 32 townhouses and a three-level apartment building with 12 flats. Prior to the establishment of Wobbies World in the early 1980s, the 20-acre orchard had belonged to the Tainton family.

Three ex-display homes at the corner of Charlnet Drive and Burwood Highway were demolished for the five-level Applemont apartments building in 2016/2017. Designed by Alta Architecture and completed in April 2019, the development cost over $13 million and has 49 apartments. The Ramsay Gardens apartment complex and cafe at the corner of Stanley Road and Burwood Highway was completed in 2021. Built by the now-defunct ABD Group and designed by architects C. Kairouz & Associates, it consists of 122 apartments spread across 5 levels. The building's name comes from Ramsey Street; a fictional street and nearby filming location for Neighbours. The development replaced a brick veneer homestead which had been constructed c. 1962 for members of the Fankhauser family, who had operated an orchard on the surrounding land before the original residential subdivision in the late 1960s. Two residences which were originally constructed in 1970/71 by the Realty Development Corporation (RDC) as the Barton and Imperial display homes, were flattened and replaced by a $10 million five storey apartment building, completed in 2023. The complex was designed by architects Clarke Hopkins Clarke for the non-profit Women’s Housing Limited (WHL).

Commercial

Vermont South Shopping Centre

The Vermont South Shopping Centre and post office opened on 22 October 1974 as the suburb developed. Designed by commercial architects R. Bernard Brown & Associates and developed by Hanover Holdings alongside an adjacent 105-lot housing estate, the drive-in centre originally had 40 specialty stores, a Venture department store, a Coles New World supermarket and a Mobil service station - totalling over 11,500m² of lettable retail space. Presently, the centre is anchored by Aldi and Coles and has 650 free parking spaces and over 50 specialty stores.

Following an amendment to the Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme in 1970, which essentially re-zoned the area for residential use, Town Clerk of Nunawading Ted Jane played a pivotal role in encouraging Nunawading Council to create a central "heart" for the area - which led to the designation of the land that now houses the centre. The centre was originally going to be called Burvale Shopping Town.

The Westpac Banking Corporation acquired the centre and in 1984 contracted architects Meldrum, Burrows & Partners to design improvements. A new fascia design was implemented, the interior was reconfigured, and seven new shops were established. The free-standing Prince of China restaurant opened next to the centre c. 1975-76. The building was extended to accommodate a dining hall and became 'Bo On' in 1987. The restaurant re-opened as 'Han Palace' in 2005 and 'Crown Palace' in 2006. In 2022, a proposal was put forward which would have seen demolition of the existing building and construction of a new restaurant with office space above, however, plans were put on hold due to rising interest rates. The building has since received extensive renovations and is opened as Ing Bulgogi, a Korean BBQ-buffet restaurant. The canopy above the centre's south entrance was extended c. 1990 as part of a signage upgrade, however, this was later reverted as it was frequently struck by tall vehicles on the service road. The Mobil service station at the corner of Hanover Road and Burwood Highway was replaced by a block of 14 shops in 1990.

In 2013, Aldi acquired and renovated shop 59 - which included the addition of windows on the south-facing facade, installation of cladding over the old exposed brick, the establishment of a new loading dock, replacement of the original tile footpath, and an internal fit-out. The centre was given a highly-anticipated overhaul in 2021 which included an internal and external repaint, removal of the aged carpet in favour of wooden flooring and replacement of the dilapidated facia and canopies. Shortly after the renovations were completed, $10 million was invested into upgrading the 4216m² Coles supermarket, which received a new deli, bakery, fresh food section and upgraded click-and-collect facilities - opened by Micheal Sukkar MP in late August 2022. The supermarket was sold later in the year for over $20 million.

As part of Nunawading Council's 1992 structure plan for the Vermont South Activity Centre, a prominent council-owned reserve at the corner of Livingstone Road and Burwood Highway was controversially rezoned from public use zone to restricted business zone. The plan also designated the area for a mix of office and retail development. In 1994, Shell Australia proposed plans to subdivide the site for a 24 hour petrol station, McDonalds, video library, cafe and several shops. The proposal caused controversy and objectors claimed it was a conflict of interest for the council as the sale of the land was conditional on council approving the subdivision. Despite angst from the existing traders of the neighbouring Vermont South Shopping Centre, who feared over-development, the project went ahead and was completed between 1995-1996. The Vermont South McDonalds opened in December 1995 and was remodelled in 2008.

Burvale Hotel & Motel

Built in 1968/69 at a cost of $530,000, it has been identified as "possibly the best and most well-preserved example" of work from the firm of Jorgensen and Hough, a leading designer of post-war hotels and motels. It's named comes from it's location at the corner of Springvale Road and Burwood Highway. Influenced by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the hotel features organic materials, including textured earthen bricks and timber joinery, reflecting Wright's philosophy of architecture "growing" from its environment. The Burvale was popular as a live music venue during the 1970s; performances there included a concert by AC/DC in December 1975. A 2015 heritage overlay proposal by local council was ultimately overlooked.

Other commercial developments

The strip of shops and restaurant at the corner of Morack Road and Burwood Highway were built c. 1983. A driving range on the south side of Burwood Highway, which had operated for over 30 years, was replaced by the largest Bunnings Warehouse in Australia in 2005 - creating more than 200 jobs for the local community and representing an investment of $25 million. The 16,550m² site includes a 9,858 main warehouse, a 1,880m² under cover timber drive-through, a 3,540m² nursery and 450 car spaces. The main store has approximately 979 bays (or 3 kms) of merchandise and feautured in a Better Homes and Gardens special. The SEC had proposed to build a terminal station on the site as early as 1974 but it never eventuated. A 2,030m² Officeworks with 49 parking spaces was completed next to the Bunnings in 2012. The Shell service station next to Officeworks was built c. 1986-87. The property had originally been issued a town planning permit for a reception centre.

The land currently occupied by the Knox self-storage facility and the Vermont Private Hospital originally belonged to the Pietsch Family, who had operated their Doncaster Fruit Juice business from the site since the 1940s. Following the death of Walter George Pietsch, the property was sold and the 1960s warehouse was demolished in 2007. Construction of the self-storage facility was completed in 2008. The Vermont Private Hospital opened in October 2017. Originally established as a surgical facility, the hospital has since grown to service a range of short stay medical specialties including ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, pain management and spinal neurosurgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and more. Initially opening with three of its four theatres operational, surgeon demand led to the commissioning of the fourth operating theatre in late 2019. In August 2021, the hospital entered the second phase of a two stage expansion. On Thursday 26th May, a fifth theatre, expanded 19-bed ward, and new CSSD were opened.

Establishment of infrastructure

Transport

Terrara Road, formerly Station Road, was proclaimed a public highway in 1918 and received significant upgrades in the 1970s and 80s. The section of Burwood Road (now highway) through Vermont South was designated as a main road in 1932. It was briefly known as (Main) Ferntree Gully Road before it was declared a state Highway in 1959/60. The Country Roads Board duplicated the road between Burwood and Upper Ferntree Gully in the late 1960s, creating the Burwood Highway or Metropolitan Route 26. An extra lane was added in the late 1970s as traffic increased.

Sewerage

In 1966 the Metropolitan & Melbourne Board of Works (MMBW) put forth a plan to construct numerous "package" sewage treatment plants in the valleys of Dandenong Creek and its tributaries. The project aimed to provide adequate sewerage to the catchment before the Dandenong Valley Trunk sewer (DVT) could supersede the purification works. One of these facilities was to be established in Vermont South aiming to cater to the increasing population in the area. The proposal aligned with a surge in developer enthusiasm attributed to significant population growth in adjacent suburbs.Previously, Vermont South had primarily depended on septic systems to handle it's wastewater. A topographical restraint precluded the area from being served by The Board's existing gravitational sewerage system. Moreover, with the Dandenong Valley Trunk Sewer not slated for completion until the early 1980s, there was an immediate requirement to establish a temporary treatment plant for the region. The site, north of Burwood Highway between Morack Road and Dandenong Creek, had been chosen by The Board in the early 1970s. The John Holland group was awarded the contract to assemble the plant, which began discharging treated wastewater in the early months of 1974. The construction process involved the excavation and levelling of the adjacent terrain and the reconfiguration of a nearby stream once dammed for orchard irrigation.

Establishment of the Terrara Road Branch Sewers as far as the Bellbird Dell parklands allowed the reticulation of numerous subdivisions west of the golf course, namely the Vintage Gardens estate. More developments were sewered as additional sections of the branch were laid, including the Vermont South Shopping Centre precinct and the Vermont Views, Vermont Park, and Morack Forest residential estates. A smaller branch also fed sewage to the plant from the Carrington Heights and Wingwood Close estates. Upper sections of the branch sewered some homes north of the Healesville Freeway Reserve in the suburb of Vermont (not to be confused with Vermont South), including properties along Jolimont Road and in the Trove Park, Uplands, and Barnsedale Forest subdivisions. Most of Vermont had already been connected to the Ringwood Outfall Sewer (RIO) and Gardiners Creek Main Sewer (GCM) by this point. By 1980, the plant was sewering an area of around 880 acres. Due to the topography of the region, not all of Vermont South was connected to the Morack Road site. Properties south of Burwood Highway and west of Livingstone Road were generally connected to the Waverley / Shepherd Road Plant, commissioned in 1972. In 1982, The Board of Works completed construction on the Nunawading Branch Sewer - connecting the tributaries of the Morack Road plant to the Dandenong Valley Trunk Sewer and subsequently the Eastern Treatment Plant, bypassing the treatment works at Vermont South. The branch also sewered developments along Mountain Highway in Wantirna South. The City of Nunawading acquired the site shortly after it was decommissioned.

Water supply

The Vermont South Pumping Station, originally designated as MMBW Pumping Station No. 72, was commissioned at Livingstone Road in 1974 to maintain pressure within the suburb's expanding water supply reticulation. Strategically located at an elevated position, the station's three pumps are housed within a cream brick building built to a widely-used standard MMBW design. The site has been operated by Yarra Valley Water since 1992.

Drainage

The Vermont South Drain, which flows through the Bellbird Dell and joins Dandenong Creek near the Vermont Private Hospital, was put underground by the Dandenong Valley Authority (DVA) in 1972 as part of the Vermont South Drainage Scheme. The decision was a response to significant flooding in the area caused by the burgeoning residential subdivisions. A piped tributary of the creek which begins at the shopping centre and exists below Woodleigh Crescent joins the Vermont South Drain at Terrara Park. Another branch begins near the Healesville Freeway Reserve and continues beneath Felgate Parade and Terrara Road before joining the Vermont South Drain near the Bellbird Dell's South Playground.

The East Burwood Retarding Basin at Billabong Park was constructed by the Dandenong Valley Authority in 1968 to hold excess stormwater from the East Burwood Drain. The embankment was constructed utilising excess clayey material from the neighbouring residential subdivisions.

Architecture and display homes

The suburb consists mainly of homes built during the 1968-1978 growth period. During this time, the suburban dream was very much alive, with many Australians aspiring to own a detached family home on a spacious block. The architecture often embraced the use of natural materials such as timber, brick, and stone - which was not only a reaction against the previous era's more formal, synthetic finishes but also a response to a growing environmental consciousness. While some houses draw influence from traditional architectural styles with tall arched windows and Dutch Gable roofs, others feature a more modern construction with neutral tones, flat roofs, and geometric forms.

Although most homes were designed by an architect expressly for the homeowner, builders would also advertise their own designs which could be constructed on an empty block for a set price. They would target lots with main road frontage and construct display homes built to their latest designs, keeping them open for an average of 12-14 months (depending on their popularity and market appeal) before selling them. Beginning in the late 1960s and continuing through the '70s, the stretch of Burwood Highway through Vermont South was the "golden mile" of display homes.

The Inge Bros launched their Granada Display Village at Burwood Highway in February 1971, featuring four designs inspired by Spanish architecture with beige coachhouse brick, dark-stained timber and an emphasis on open-plan living. These were the $13,850 "La Costa Rustic" at no. 404, the "La Granja Spanish" at no. 402, the "Ponderosa Spanish" at no. 400 and the "Spanish Supreme" at no. 398. Glenvill also had Spanish-themed houses at Beacon Street (The "Glendora" at no. 2 & The "Glenview" at no. 3) and Ritz Street (The "Glenmore" at no. 14). Hayes Homes displayed a $9,999 house from their Spanish "Riviera" range at 419 Burwood Highway in 1971.

Tomkin Homes premiered four furnished display homes at Stanley Road in June 1969. The $20,900 "Jamestown" at no. 15 drew an estimated crowd of 27,000 on the opening weekend and was designed by Tomkin's in-house architect Ian Cole with American architect Fred Dayan. Tomkin offloaded these in 1975 and subsequently opened a new display village at Burwood Highway, consisting of four designs by architect Gideon Markham - the budget "Greenway" at no. 470, the colonial "St. Andrew Mk II" at no. 466, the ranch-style "Huntingdon" at no. 464 and the Mediterranean "Montego" at no. 468. By 1978, Tomkin established the "Jamesford" at 579 Burwood Highway and the "Santa Catalina" at 581 Burwood Highway. The latter was a finalist in the MBA New Home competition of that year and was styled along Mediterranean lines, with the external walls in white-painted masonry block and the roofing in orange Elebana concrete tiles.

Macquarie Builders showed off their designs at their own Pioneer Ridge estate - namely the "Macquarie Lodge" at 1 Colonial Drive, the "Hume Homestead" at 536 Burwood Highway, the "Lawson Manor" at 542 Burwood Highway and the "John Eyre" at 542 Burwood Highway - named after famous Australians. Another display village of theres was opened further down Burwood Highway in October 1978, showcasing the "New Macquarie Lodge" at 2 Mont Court and the "Greenway" at 586 Burwood Highway.

The Corrs family, who established Corrs Australian Solicitors (merged in 1991 to form Corrs Chambers Westgarth), sold a large portion of their Burwood Highway landholding to the Glenvill Corporation, who in mid-1979 opened a "super centre" consisting of 13 upmarket display homes. Situated at Silverene Court, designs included The "Glenden" at no. 1, The "Glenmanor IV " at no. 2A and The "Glen "at no. 13. Glenvill had been a prominent operator of display homes on Burwood Highway since the late '60s, showcasing designs such as the The Glenrose at no. 558, The Glengrow at no. 556 & no. 609, The Glenregent at no. 554, The Glen at no. 560 and another three between Terrara Road and Warrington Avenue. Champion Homes, an affiliate company of Glenvill which offered budget home designs, had a three-home display village at Mont Court and two displays at the super centre.

The Realty Development Corporation (RDC) constructed 3 display homes at Burwood Highway in 1970 - the "Imperial" at no. 410, the "Barton" at no. 408, and the "Sheraton" at no. 406. Dean-Johnson Homes had their $10,400 "Classic Conventional " at 441 Burwood Highway, the $8,900 Hacienda De Luxe at 4 Fankhauser Drive and the $10,600 Village Green at 6 Fankhauser Drive. Williams Quality Homes' six-house display village at the corner of Burwood Highway included the $12,570 Stratham model at 2 Stanley Road. Robert Toll & Son erected their modernist "Toll Futuristic 72" at 421 Burwood Highway in 1971. Steward Craig had the "Albany" at 9 Ritz Street. Civic Constructions showcased the "Three Level", "Two Level" and "Growth House" at Terrara Road, designed by architects Cocks & Carmichael. Deva Ideal Homes and Executive Homes had display villages on opposite corners of Fortescue Grove. Moore Williams, Tradeline Builders, Fleiner Constructions, and Wilson Homes were among the operators of display homes on Coppabella Way and Tullimbar Circuit.

Livingstone Primary School

The concept for the development of Livingstone Primary school followed an amendment to the Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme in 1970, which essentially re-zoned the Vermont South area for residential purposes. In light of this, council persuaded the Education Department to purchase the 20 acres of land immediately to the north of the proposed Centre for school purposes. The land acquired had originally belonged to orchardists Roy and Peggy Mullens, who Mullens Road is named after, and the Stevens Family. The Mullens family homestead was located at 50-52 Livingstone Road but was demolished c. 1986 for the Carrington Court aged care facility. The intention was to have an area for both a primary and secondary school, however, the concept of the latter was abandoned after demographic surveys rendered it unfeasible.

In 1974 a submission was made to the Minister of Education for a “joint development with the Education Department in the provision of community facilities in Vermont South”. As a result of this submission a meeting was arranged for 20th November, 1974. This was attended by the Minister of Education, the Minister for Public Works and representatives of the City of Nunawading, Public Works Department, Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation and the Education Department.A public meeting was convened at the Vermont South Special School on March 26th, 1976. From this meeting the Vermont South Planning Group was established. The inaugural meeting of the Livingstone Primary School Interim Committee was held on April 26th, 1976, at the Vermont South Special School. A committee was formed with representatives from the Education Department and Parkmore Primary School. By October 1976, this committee saw its task completed. The target date for the opening of the school was February 1978 and the policy was that it must be designed to accommodate 560 children.

Work commenced on the school on April 12th 1977, and the concrete was poured in mid-May. By July 21st 1978 all Grades had moved in, and the official opening was held on March 31st 1979 by John Richardson, Member for Forest Hill. The first principal was Mr. David Harradence (1977-1979) followed by Mr. Peter McLinden (1980-1988).The Kathy Jones Centre (KJC) opened in 2010 as part of the $16.2 billion Building the Education Revolution program (BER). The original brick ball-wall was replaced by a multi-purpose sporting field with synthetic grass in early 2016. In 2020-2021, two new large playground were constructed by the SafePlay and PlayCo companies.

Morack Golf Course

The Morack Golf Course officially opened on the 8 May 1976 as a nine-hole, par 36 course of some 2,757 metres in length.In July 1962, the then Councillor Satchwell moved that the "Parks, Gardens and Council Properties Committee investigate the practicability of providing Municipal Golf Links". This proposal was met with little enthusiasm and it wasn't until 1965, when Council looked at developing the land on Burwood Highway, bounded by Morack and Terrara Roads, that anything significant happened. It was the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works that suggested the current site, and the land was rezoned as open space by late 1967. A council meeting held on May 28th 1973 concluded: "That the area of land on the east side of Morack Road, Vermont South, reserved as Public Open Space, be utilised for the purpose of a Golf Course and the engineer be authorised to continue planning for that facility".

Greensmasters, a golf course design and construction company, were contracted to design the layout. The layout was approved by council in mid-1974, who allocated their Parks and Gardens section to initiate tree planting with only Australian native plants to be used. By mid-1975 the construction was progressing well, although the course was nameless, and commonly referred to as the golf links. The Nunawading Historical Society was asked to suggest a name and recommended Norwich, after an early local settlement A Mrs McGivern of Boronia wrote recommending Morack, not only an obvious name but an aboriginal word meaning "a place of hills". The first 9 holes opened on 2 May 1976. The course had been extended to fifteen holes by January 1980 and the complete 5,428 metre, par 71 eighteen holes was finished in 1981. The water supply for the course is based upon a 50 million-litre dam constructed during 1975/78. Water is also pumped from the Dandenong Creek to maintain an adequate supply.

In 2015/2016, Council engaged consultants WellPlayed Golf Business Consultancy, in conjunction with Crafter + Mogford Golf Stratergies to develop a strategic plan for the Morack Golf Course. A concept plan was also developed as part of the strategy. The community consultation was completed later the strategic plan was adopted in 2017. In March 2019, Centrum Architects were appointed to further develop the concept design, which was presented to the resident golf club in mid-2019. The proposed design was sent out to the community in 2021 and construction began in June 2022. $12.1 million was allocated for the project. Completed in October 2023, the redevelopment has a new multipurpose pavilion featuring event spaces, a golf shop, and an upgraded ‘Club House’. The redevelopment also included a modernised 28-bay driving range with TopTracer Range technology, premium bays for group play, food and drink service, and a newly designed 18-hole mini-golf course. Swing Factory, the new operator of the course, provided additional funding for the fit-out and mini-golf course. On 14 March 2024, Mayor Denise Massoud officially opened the revamped facility at a special event attended by councillors, staff, and other stakeholders. The project was managed by Buxton Constructions.

Former Australian Road Research Board Headquarters

By the mid 1960s it had become evident that the Australian Road Research Board was in need of a permanent headquarters with office, laboratory and library facilities. A former apple orchard of 6.5 hectares at Burwood Highway, Vermont South was acquired for the ARRB and architects Mockridge Stahle & Mitchell were commissioned to design the new complex. They proposed a building of ‘simplicity and dignity’ to attract new staff whilst also providing a ‘good background for public relations to visitors and representatives of other interested bodies who in turn attract money to the cost of the functions of the Board’. The plans for the new ARRB headquarters were approved in 1970 and Leighton were awarded the $1 million construction contract in May 1971. The complex was officially opened on 27 November 1972 by the Governor General of Victoria Sir Rohan Delacombe. The Vermont South site was sold in 2017 and the organisation’s headquarters was relocated to new offices in Port Melbourne. Beginning in late 2019, the vacant centre was subjected to significant vandalism and on the morning of March 31st, 2021, the derelict heritage-listed administration building caught fire. The site has since been sold to a retirement village operator who plans to demolish the non-heritage outbuildings and develop the site, retaining the front administration building.

Australian Gun Club shooting grounds

After the second world war, local orchardist and avid shooter Victor Fankhauser offered the Blackburn Gun Club a piece of surplus land at the bottom of his orchard between Burwood Road and Highbury Road. Here, Victor and Cyril Fankhauser worked alongside Jim Buenvenu and club president Dave Watson to establish a three-trap clay pigeon shooting ground which officially opened on February 14th, 1948. The club later amalgamated with the Nobel Clay Bird Club to become the Australian Clay Target Club (later Australian Gun Club) and an opening meeting was held on 28 August 1948, drawing 67 shooters. Victorian Premier Henry Bolte was a patron and regularly visited. The Victorian Field and Game Association also used the site. The club moved from its Burwood Road headquarters to Lysterfield in early 1969 after the City of Nunawading took over the land for an expansion of their landfill, which had operated nearby since the early 1960s. The site was located in the area now known as Lookout Trail Park.

Vermont Winery

In 1969, Trevor & Joy Grace established the Vermont Winery at a three-acre site on Morack Road. They initially decided to sell wine from five small vineyards, mostly from Rutherglen, and expanded their range as the business grew. The idea was that customers could sample wine and buy it to take away in bottles, flagons or bulk. Developer Stocks & Holdings acquired the original site in 1972 for the Vintage Gardens housing estate and a new premises was subsequently established at 595 Burwood Highway. The winery was taken over by Scott Cooper and Dennis Parkes in 1978. In 1992, following a victory at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the winery was given the go-ahead to build a 30-seat restaurant at the existing site. The business closed in the early 2000s and a permit for demolition of the building was issued in September 2004. The land is now occupied by ten town houses, completed in 2005

Parks and reserves

Bellbird Dell

Bellbird Dell is a natural park, located in the north of the suburb. It is a 1.4 km (1500 yard) linear park with an area of 17.5 hectares (43 acres), named after the bellbirds that can be heard in the park. The majority of the park is thick bush, however, there are walking trails, wetlands and ornamental lakes. Open grassed areas are provided with picnic tables. For walkers 'The Dell' offers short or long strolls but dogs must be on a leash, as the main pathways are shared with cyclists. Birds and frogs can be seen and heard here and, in spring, there are wildflowers. Victoria's floral emblem, the pink heath (Epacris impressa), can be seen growing wild within the remnant areas. The park was created in 1966 after Nunawading Council (now Whitehorse Council) purchased a large block (7.26 hectares; 18 acres) from local orchardist Cecil Rhodes.

Lookout Trail Park

Behind the motocross track are bush walk trails connecting to Dandenong Creek and a lookout. The park's walking/bike trails (Dandenong Creek Trail) connect to the greater bike trails of eastern Victoria, including the Mount Dandenong National Park and Nortons, Napier and Jells Parks. The City of Nunawading began acquiring paddocks near the west bank of Dandenong Creek in the early 1960s and by 1963 had established an open landfill. This was expanded in 1969 and by 1975 was occupying an area of over 40 acres. It was replaced by the opening of a waste transfer station in the early 1980s, and the site was remediated and turned into Lookout Trail Park. From 1992-94, Council worked with the Nunawading Apex Group to establish a timber lookout, providing spectacular views towards the City and Dandenong Ranges, however this was later demolished due to structural concerns. A skate ramp, situated at the corner of Morack Road and Burwood Highway, features a vertical half pipe that is suitable for advanced skaters and is built to international standards. It officially opened on 4 February 2000 with demonstrations by the Globe Australia Skate Team.

Hanover Reserve

Hanover Reserve is situated at the corner of Barradine Crescent and Hanover Road and consists of grassed open space with a playground. The playground was last upgraded c. 2008 and has a see-saw, slide and accessible swings. The four acres was reserved for public use in 1973 as part of the Vermont Views housing estate. Like Hanover Road, the reserve is named after Hanover Holdings - the company that built and originally managed the Vermont South Shopping Centre and created several housing estates in the area.

Education

• Emmaus College – Years 7-12 Campus
• Vermont South Special School
• Weeden Heights Primary School – Established in 1980
• Livingstone Primary School
• Holy Saviour Primary School
• Barriburn Pre-School, Birralee Pre-School Association, Terrara Pre-School Association,
• Vermont South Children's Services Centre
• Vermont Secondary College

Clubs and facilities

Vermont South Club

Vermont South Club offers Tennis, Darts & Bowls. $1 million redevelopment works began at Vermont South Club on 3 October 2007. The redevelopment for the Bowling Clubhouse extended capacity from 60 people to 120 people. Other changes proposed include improving disabled access, toilet, shower and kitchen facilities.

Sportlink multipurpose indoor sports facility

A new $8 million, multi-purpose netball stadium was opened in Hanover Road on 7 February 2009. Sharelle McMahon gave a speech and umpired a community netball match for the occasion. It provides for netball, basketball, indoor soccer, badminton and volleyball games, and is already home to local clubs. To celebrate the opening milestone event, a 'Come and Try Day' was held at Sportlink Vermont South, with the chance to see the new development, watch sports demonstrations and take part in fun activities. Sportlink, which features four indoor and four outdoor courts, includes a multipurpose room, community room, café, first aid room and change rooms. It includes netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton and many more. Planning for this facility started in 2006, with community consultation conducted in November 2006.

Soccer

The Whitehorse United Soccer Club is located in Vermont South. The men's team won the State League 4 East competition in 2017 and narrowly missed out on promotion to State League 2 South-East competition in 2019. In post covid the club was involved in a back-to-back relegations. They currently compete in the State league 5 East competition. The Women's team compete in the newly formed Victorian Premier League Women, having been promoted in 2018 (champions) and 2019.

Nunawading & District Motocross club

Situated off Burwood Highway opposite Morack Road, the club had humble beginnings in 1972 when Geoff Cohen was looking for somewhere for his son to ride. After approaching the council and being told there was nowhere for him to ride, Geoff decided to form a committee and start “Happy Wheels” (now Nunawading & District Motocross club). The track is situated on a former landfill, which had began operation in the early 1960s.

Other clubs and facilities include:

• Morack Golf Course

• Vermont South Tennis Club
• Vermont South Cricket Club
• Whitehorse School of Physical Culture (formerly Vermont South School of Physical Culture)
• Holy Saviour Tennis Club
• Livingstone Netball Club
• Hi-Lites Netball Club
• Lions Club of South Vermont Inc.

Churches

• Vermont South Evangelical Church
• Holy Saviour Catholic Church
• Anglican Church of the Holy Name of Jesus
• Evangelical Church

Services

Vermont South Metropolitan Fire Brigade (South Vermont Fire Station No. 28) is located at 721 Highbury Road, on the corner of Springvale Road. This Brigade moved from 535 High Street Road, Mount Waverley in 1999. The building has won a design award.

The Vermont South Community House is one of nine community and neighbourhood houses that provide courses and activities for all age groups within the City of Whitehorse. Vermont South Community House was established in 1976 as a sustainable community organisation to share information and advocate on behalf of the community. The Community House was the winner of the 2008 Whitehorse Sustainability Awards.

• Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library – Vermont South Campus. The Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation holds over 421,000 items, which includes books, magazines, audio cassettes, language kits, videos, compact discs, electronic games, sheet music and large print books. Joining the library is free. The library also loans books, talking books, videos, CDs, and CD-Roms in Chinese.
• Vermont Village
• Whitehorse Recycling and Waste Centre processes and manages green waste. It is located at 638-640 Burwood Highway (corner of Morack Road).

Statistics

Population of Vermont South:

• 2001 Census: 11,655
• 2006 Census: 11,485
• 2011 Census: 11,416
• 2016 Census: 11,678

Transport

The Government of Victoria extended tram route 75 from its former terminus at Burwood East to the Vermont South Shopping Centre in 2005. In addition to the tram, a Transit Bus Link has been added, which travels down Burwood Highway to Westfield Knox Shopping Centre.

This transit bus, named the "Knox Transit Link" runs up to 21 hours per day, in conjunction with the route 75 tram timetable, making a "seamless connection" to and from the tram. An upgrade in November 2007 saw the introduction of an hourly Sunday service and buses running until 9pm 7 days a week. Bus routes 732, 736, 742 and 902 also service Vermont South. All four bus routes operate seven days.

732: Box Hill to Upper Ferntree Gully

736: Mitcham to Blackburn

742: Ringwood to Chadstone Shopping Centre

902 SmartBus: Chelsea to Airport West

Route 732 duplicates the Knox Transit Link section entirely, however it does not have the extended-hours operation of the Knox Transit Link.

Routes 736 and 742 run past Vermont South Shopping Centre and the tram terminus, with both routes sharing bus stops in Hanover Rd.

Route 902 runs along Springvale Rd along the western extremity of Vermont South.

See also

• City of Nunawading – Vermont South was previously within this former local government area.