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	19 km (12 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, 19 km (12 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 1960s through till the mid 1970s, after developers bought the orchards in the area.

History

Early 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. Temporary wattle and daub huts were erected and later substantial timber cottages.

The area was first surveyed in 1855 by Clement Hodgkinson, District Surveyor to the Victoria Survey General's Office. A public, crown land auction was held at Melbourne in October 1855 and allotments were granted to settlers Charles Burrell (134 acres) and John Lobb (475 acres) at a cost of £1 per acre. The following year in May, explorer and inventor William Morton was granted 2 allotments totalling 471 acres. Thomas Lavidge, an agricultural labourer who arrived from England in 1848, had acquired the remaining 340 acres by the 1870s. These five allotments make up virtually the entire the area now designated as Vermont South. A failed proposal from the late 1850s envisioned 475 acres subdivided for the Town of Norwich. It would have had suburban farm lots with vineyards, gardens and a central market square.

By the 1880s, apart from some general farming, orchards dominated much of the landscape. The peak of growing fruit was 1930-1939 followed by a steady decline due to labour shortages and lack of markets during 1939-1945. Virtually all of the suburb had been developed for housing by 1976, and smaller estates continued being built through the 1980s and 1990s.

Burwood Highway, 1938

Establishment of infrastructure and services

Drainage

The streams of Vermont South are all in the Dandenong Creek catchment and were first surveyed in 1855 by Clement Hodgkinson for the Survey General's Office. The catchment became responsibility of the State Rivers & Water Supply Commission in 1910 and in 1949, a pumping station was commissioned near Chelsea, which lowered the creek's water level and rendered the adjacent land suitable for housing and farms. Management of all gazetted watercourses was transferred to the Dandenong Valley Authority (DVA) in 1963, who in their opening report identified "the need to establish adequate drainage infrastructure in the area to prepare for future development". Unlike upstream in Vermont where the creek runs through a straight concrete channel, the section of Dandenong Creek through Vermont South remains largely unaltered and retains it's natural, meandering path. The Dandenong Creek catchment has been managed by the Melbourne Water Corporation since the abolition of the DVA in 1992.

The East Burwood Drain, proclaimed in 1966, has its headwaters near the north end of Stanley Road and joins Dandenong Creek just south of High Street Road in Glen Waverley. In 1968, it was piped upstream of Capital Avenue and a flood detention basin (MMBW No. 23) was built just downstream of Burwood Highway. The embankment was constructed using excess clayey material from the neighbouring residential subdivisions and a bluestone surcharge structure was built. A 110-metre section of open, concrete channel through the retarding basin was put underground as part of works to establish Billabong Park in the late 1970s. The Channel '0' Drain joins the East Burwood Drain below the Dalroy Crescent Reserve and was named after the former ATV-0 (now Fremantle Media) studios at Hawthorn Road, Forest Hill - where the stream starts. Another tributary comes from the Tally Ho Business Park in Burwood East.

The Vermont South Drainage Scheme was formulated by the DVA in the 1969/70 financial year and final designs for the first stage of works were prepared in 1971. The scheme provided piped outfall drainage to properties in the vicinity of Morack & Terrara Roads and the main financial contributors were the Lend Lease Corporation, Stocks & Holdings, Development Underwriting and Hanover Holdings. By 1974, the entire catchment had been barrelled as far North as the Bellbird Dell parklands and as far West as the Vermont South Shopping Centre. The Burwood South Drain near the east end of Highbury Road was piped in the early 1970s and initially provided drainage to the Pioneer Ridge and Tyrol Orchard residential estates on the south side of Burwood Highway. The Vermont East Drain emerges at Dandenong Creek near the Morack Golf Course and collects runoff from the north-east parts of Morack Road.

Water supply

Prior to the establishment of water mains, farmers would dam watercourses for irrigation and drinking water supply. Pressurised water mains first reached the suburb in 1967/1968. The Vermont South Pumping Station (MMBW No. 72) was commissioned at Livingstone Road by the Board of Works in 1974 to maintain pressure within the suburb's expanding water supply reticulation. The three pumps are housed within a cream-brick building with a mansard roof, which was standard MMBW design at the time. The site has been operated by Yarra Valley Water since 1992.

Sewerage and treatment plant

Morack Road Treatment Plant, 1973

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 could supersede the purification works. One of these facilities was to be established at Morack Road, 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.

A topographical restraint precluded the suburb 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.

By 1980, the plant was sewering a catchment 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 treatment plant, commissioned in 1972. The Board of Works completed construction on the Nunawading Branch Sewer in 1982, connecting the tributaries of the Morack Road plant to the Dandenong Valley Trunk Sewer and subsequently the Eastern Treatment Plant, hence bypassing the treatment works at Vermont South. The branch also sewered developments along Mountain Highway in Wantirna South. The treatment plant closed in 1982.

Tram terminus, 2005

Roads and transport

The City of Whitehorse is responsible for all roads in the suburb except Burwood Highway and Springvale Road, which are managed by VicRoads. (Main) Ferntree Gully Road, later Burwood Highway, was declared a main road in 1913 and renamed to Burwood Road in 1932, becoming a state highway in the 1959/60 financial year. From 1969 to 1970, the Country Roads Board rebuilt Burwood Highway and Springvale Roads to have two carriageways with grassed median strips. The Board also planted approximately 2,500 native shrubs and small trees at Burwood Highway to reduce headlight glare from approaching vehicles and to improve the appearance of the road. Station Road was renamed to Terrara Road and proclaimed a public highway in 1918, later receiving significant upgrades in the 1970s and 80s.

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.

Emergency services

The 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.

Housing and architecture

The 41-hectare Burwood Rise estate, located between Livingstone and Stanley Roads and around Dalroy Crescent & Consort Avenue, was created between 1968-1971 and formed the suburb's first major housing project. The development aimed to house future customers for the nearby Forest Hill Shopping Centre, which was operated by an affiliate company of the developer. The scheme began when Bill Gelfand, one of the partners in the Michelson Gelfand realestate firm, wondered about the possibilities of the land east of Springvale Road. The initial purchase of more than 80 acres cost $640,000 and the five farmers who owned the land were paid $8,000 an acre, which was about twice the ruling price of rural land in the area. Planning began in 1967 and the first subdivision was approved in early 1968. By late 1971, over 270 lots had been released across five stages.

A ten-acre bushland block at Highbury Road was cleared for the 33-lot Sherwood Rise residential estate and home sites were first offered in January 1969. The Sunrise Hill estate at the intersection of Weeden Drive and Springvale Road was subdivided in 1968 and had 160 lots, the first of which were developed as house & land packages. This created Wildwood Avenue and several courts named after tree species such as Pin Oak Court, White Ash Court and Manna Gum Court. Victoria's largest land developer at the time, Development Underwriting, uprooted four orchards and demolished a farm near the southeast corner of Burwood Highway & Springvale Road in 1968 and built two housing estates comprising 98 lots around Fortescue Grove & Minerva Crescent and 163 lots near Coppabella Way. Monmia Builders sold hillside house & land packages at Stradella Avenue in 1971. Developer Samuel Jacobson, who built the Burvale Hotel in 1969, also acquired an adjacent dilapidated orchard and commissioned a 264-lot residential estate in 1972 - creating Cascade Drive & Elonara Road and linking Mullens Road and Hawthorn Road to Springvale Road. The bend at the top of Mullens Road roughly follows the original path of the Channel '0' Drain, a tributary of the East Burwood Drain which was barrelled for the development.

The Vintage Gardens Estate off Morack Road was an ambitious house-and-land package development by Sydney-based developer Stocks & Holdings. Over 300 lots were sold between 1972-75 and most came with brick veneer homes built by their housing division, Stockhold Homes. The estate is identifiable by its streets which are named after famous Australian winery regions such as Great Western Drive. The first 50 lots around Mildara Street, Rutherglen Road and Coonawarra Drive were sold in December 1972 and buyers were given a selection of a dozen bottles of wine from the nearby Vermont Winery. Development Underwriting released the 170-lot Forest Hill Park estate at the north end of Livingstone Road and the initial 82 blocks were sold in November 1972. A majority of the estate 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. The company also created the adjoining 163-lot Vermont Views estate in 1973, which occupies the land between Hawthorn Road and Hanover Road. Hanover Holdings developed a 130-lot residential estate at the west corner of Terrara Road and Burwood Highway in 1973, consisting Warrington Avenue, Hempstead Avenue and five courts. They also established 105 lots on the east side of Hanover Road (creating Kiama Close, Woodleigh Crescent, Pelham Drive, Myriong Avenue and Wilpena Place).

The 240 home sites at the Sara Heights Estate (Charlnet Drive, Narracan Street, Torwood Drive, Licola Street and Currajong Street) were sold between 1973 and 1975. Roy Anderson's flower farm was subdivided for housing in 1973, creating Murchison Avenue and Wynne Court. Hanover Holdings developed an estate consisting mostly of house-and-land packages between Terrara Park and George Road in 1973, extending Great Western Drive to George Road and creating Galea & Chablis Crescents. Eric Leslie and George Victor 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 was demolished and divided for the Carrington Heights Estate at Delacombe Drive and Winjallock Crescent, which had over 90 blocks and was first released in 1975 by Bill Gelfand P/L. Land at the Burmont Heights estate (at Highmont Drive, Hartland Road and Ballina Terrace) was first offered in 1975.

In 1973, 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. 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. The first display homes opened in June 1974.

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 its 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. Land Sales & Development P/L were behind the 38-lot subdivision that created Mellissa Grove & Head Court in 1977. 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. 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. Presidential Developments and the Victorian Ministry of Housing 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 in 2023. The complex was designed by architects Clarke Hopkins Clarke for the non-profit Women’s Housing Limited (WHL).

Architecture

The architecture of Vermont South largely reflects a period of urban sprawl between the late 1960s and mid 1970s, a time when the Australian Dream was at its peak, and many Australians aspired to own a detached family home on a generous block of land. Floor plans from this era often emphasised open-plan living, and many homes featured a split-level, creating a more dynamic, multi-dimensional living space. This style was especially suited to the sloping blocks of the suburb and reflected the growing desire for larger homes with distinct functional zones, such as separate living, dining, and sleeping areas. Architects favoured a more 'natural' appearance, which was not only a reaction against the more formal, synthetic finishes of the previous decades but also a response to a growing environmental consciousness. There was also an increased interest in passive solar design, which sought to harness natural sunlight for heating and cooling. Brick veneer with timber framework was the dominant construction method, which were seen as more “authentic” and environmentally friendly. Internally, 'mission brown' painted timber paneling and exposed brick walls were popular. Some homes blended exotic Spanish, Colonial and Mediterranean themes while others embraced a more Modernist aesthetic. Although these homes were often designed by local architecture firms expressly to meet there client's needs, builders also offered designs that could be selected and constructed on an empty lot for a set price. To showcase these designs, the builders would acquire land (especially with main road frontage) and commission display homes. These usually operated for an average of 12 to 14 months, depending on their popularity and market value. Beginning in 1969 and continuing through till the late 1970s, the stretch of Burwood Highway through Vermont South was the 'golden mile' for display homes in Melbourne.

In January 1969, Glenvill Homes opened a collection of Spanish-themed houses at Beacon Street (the "Glendora" at no. 2 & the "Glenview" at no. 3) and Ritz Street (the "Glenmore" at no. 14). Tomkin Homes premiered four designs at a display village on Stanley Road in June 1969, including their upmarket "Jamestown" at no 15. Designed by architects Ian Cole & Fred Dayan, it featured a Southern Californian appearance and created traffic jams on the opening weekend, drawing an estimated crowd of 27,000 interested to see how the other side of the world lived. The design of the Burvale Hotel 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. 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. 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. Deva Ideal Homes and Executive Homes had display villages on opposite corners of Fortescue Grove. The "Albany" at 9 Ritz Street was a $11,595 SEC Gold Medallion home designed by Francis Mason and built/displayed by Stewart Craig in 1969 with tan brick veneer, colonial-style windows & shutters, slate roof tiles and European-style balustrades. In 1969 or 1970, Spaceline Homes opened the "Ideas Centre" with 10 display homes at Ritz Street and Burwood Highway.

The Inge Bros launched their Granada Display Village in February 1971, featuring four designs inspired by Spanish architecture with beige coachhouse brick, dark-stained timber and an emphasis on open-plan living. Situated at Burwood Highway, the display comprised the "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. Other display homes of Spanish appearance were the "Riviera" by Hayes Homes 419 Burwood Highway (1971), a house by P. D. Pastellas at 7 Minerva Crescent (1972) and the "Stratham" by Williams Quality Homes at their six-house display village on the corner of Burwood Highway and Stanley Road (1969). These had white-painted brickwork, archways and dark strained trim. Builder Ronald H. Toll & Son had the "Toll Futuristic 72" at 421 Burwood Highway with an earthy, brown brick exterior with a low-pitched roof, floor-to-ceiling windows and cathedral ceilings with exposed Oregon panelling. Tomkin Homes closed their Stanley Road display village in 1974 and opened four new houses at Burwood Highway designed by architect Gideon Markham; the "Greenway" at no. 470 had a smaller, budget layout, the "St. Andrew Mk II" at no. 466 was of a colonial appearance, the "Huntingdon" at no. 464 had more of a ranch-style and the "Montego" at no. 468 had a Mediterranean design.

Macquarie Builders constructed numerous display homes at their Pioneer Ridge estate on the south side of Burwood Highway. The "Macquarie Lodge" was showcased at 1 Colonial Drive featured a colonial two-storey layout with imitation shutters. The "Hume Homestead" at 536 Burwood Highway had Hawthorn-style colonial bricks, wide verandahs and a strong emphasis on the early-Australian look. Macquarie also had the "Lawson Manor" at 542 Burwood Highway and the "John Eyre" at 542 Burwood Highway, which, together with the aforementioned, were named after famous Australians. A second display of homes by Macquarie Builders opened in October 1978 and featured an updated version of the "Macquarie Lodge" at 2 Mont Court and the homestead-styled "Greenway" at 586 Burwood Highway.

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.

Cocks & Carmichael also designed three houses for Civic Constructions, which were displayed at Terrara Road in 1977-78. The layouts provided clients with a modular grid and a range of components that allowed choice in location and spatial variation. They were also designed to be expanded as families grew or as finance became available. The Civic "Growth House" at 139 Terrara Road was a highly successful display home and received a citation in the 1977 House of the Year Awards from the Victorian Chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architecture. Displayed at 581 Burwood Highway was the "Santa Catalina" by Tomkin Homes, which had a Mediterranean appearance with white-painted masonry blocks and orange roofing, and was a finalist in the 1978 MBA New Home Competition. The first prize place of that competition was awarded to the "Glen" by Glenvill Homes at 560 Burwood Highway.

The Corrs family sold a large portion of their Burwood Highway landholding to the Glenvill Corporation in the late 1970s and a "super centre" consisting of 13 upmarket display homes was established. Situated at Silverene Court, designs included the contemporary "Glenden" at no. 1 with cathedral ceilings and exposed beams, the Georgian-style "Glenmanor IV " at no. 2A and the "Glen" at no. 13. At Burwood Highway, Glenvill had the "Glenrose" at no. 558, the "Glengrow" at no. 556 & no. 609, the "Glenregent" at no. 554 and "The Glen" at no. 560 - which came first place in the 1978 MBA New Home Awards. Champion Homes, an affiliate company of Glenvill that offered budget home designs, had a three-house display village at Mont Court and two display homes at the super centre including the "Knight" at 613 Burwood Highway which won the "best display home" category of the HIA award in 1978.

Businesses

Doncaster Fruit Juices (1940-1981)

A fruit juice company operated at the intersection of Burwood Highway and Morack Road from 1941 to 1981. The Pietsch brothers acquired ownership of the site in 1940, which had previously been used as a garage with three petrol pumps. At the time of acquisition, the Pietsch family owned three cows, which enabled them to obtain a dairy license. They began selling milkshakes, ice blocks, and fruit juices from a refrigerator installed on the front verandah of their home. In 1950, the Pietsch family expanded their operations by establishing a larger factory for the production of fruit juice. From that point onward, the company exclusively sold its fruit juice under the brand name "Doncaster Fruit Juices." The business continued to grow throughout the following decades, becoming a well-known local producer of fruit beverages. After the death of Otto Pietsch in 1981, the company's operations in Vermont were discontinued. The "Doncaster Fruit Juices and Syrups" brand was subsequently acquired by new owners.

Vermont Winery (1969-2000s)

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.

Burvale Hotel & Motel (1969-present)

Developer Samuel Jackson was behind the Burvale Hotel and Motel complex at the northeast corner of Burwood Highway and Springvale Roads, which was constructed in 1968/69 for a cost of $530,000. A rival hotel for the southeast corner of the intersection had been proposed in early 1966 by a company called Nunawading Hotels, however, this never eventuated and the land was instead subdivided for housing in 1980, creating Kolonga Court. The Burvale was popular as a live music venue during the 1970s, performances there included a concert by AC/DC in December 1975. A heritage overlay proposal by council in 2015 was ultimately overlooked.

Australian Road Research Board (1972-2017)

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 31, 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.

Vermont South Shopping Centre and Commercial Area (1974-present)

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, a Chinese restaurant and a Mobil service station - totalling over 11,500m² of lettable retail space. Presently, the centre is anchored by supermarket chains Aldi & 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. It was originally going to be called Burvale Shopping Town. Hanover Holdings sold the drive-in centre to the Westpac Banking Corporation, who 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 directly south of the centre c. 1975–76. The building was extended to accommodate a dining hall and became 'Bo On' in mid-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.

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, Blockbuster, a 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 overdevelopment, the project went ahead and was completed between 1995 and 1996. The Vermont South McDonalds opened in December 1995 and was remodelled in 2008. The Blockbuster was replaced by Snap Fitness in 2012.

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.

Bunnings & Officeworks

In 2005, a council-owned 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 at the time - 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 3km) of merchandise and featured 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.

Other businesses

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 26 May, a fifth theatre, expanded 19-bed ward, and new CSSD were opened. The strip of shops and restaurant at the corner of Morack Road and Burwood Highway were built c. 1983. The Shell Service Station next to Officeworks opened in 1987, despite the property having originally been issued a town planning permit for a reception centre. Construction of the Knox self-storage facility was completed in 2008.

Community facilities

The original Vermont South Community House was established at 557 Burwood Highway in October 1976. It moved to a new, purpose-built facility at Karoben Drive in 1987, where it remains in use today as the Vermont South Neighbourhood House. The Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library's Vermont South Campus opened at Pavey Place in October 1990. The Vermont South Library is located at Pavey Place, which is named after the city's first Librarian, Miss Constance Pavey.

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.

The 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.

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.

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 begun operation in the early 1960s.

Other clubs and facilities include:

• 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.

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.

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 28, 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 Strategies 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.

Lookout Trail Park & former shooting grounds

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 to 1994, 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.

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 14, 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 City of Nunawading took over the land in 1969 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.

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 were 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 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
• Holy Saviour Primary School
• Barriburn Pre-School
• Birralee Pre-School – Established in 1974
• Terrara Pre-School – Established in 1976
• Vermont South Children's Services Centre
• Vermont Secondary College

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 shopping centre for school purposes. 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 20 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 26, 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 26, 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 12, 1977, and the concrete was poured in mid-May. By July 21, 1978, all Grades had moved in, and the official opening was held on March 31, 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.

Churches

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

Statistics

Population of Vermont South:

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

See also

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