Forest Hill Chase

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Forest Hill Chase
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Forest Hill Chase
Location Forest Hill, Victoria, Australia
Address270 Canterbury Road
Opening date30 June 1964;61 years ago (1964-06-30)
Demolished1987 (Original centre)
Previous namesForest Hills SC
(1964–70)
Forest Hill SC
(1970–89)
DeveloperForest Hill Heights
ManagementHaben (since 2022)
Owner Paul Fayman
(1956–1983)
George Herscu
(1963-1977)
Maurice Alter
(1963–2004)
Novion
(2004–2015)
Blackstone
(2015–2022)
JY Group
(2022–)
Haben
(2022–)
ArchitectBill Wheatland
(1957–58)
Leslie M. Perrott Jr.
(1959–60)
Thord Lorich
(1966–69)
Ray Barnard-Brown
(1973–76)
Buchan Laird Bawden
(1986–92)
Peddle Thorp
(2012)
i2C Architects
(2018)
NH Architects
(2024–25)
Stores and services203
Anchor tenants 7 major
10 minor
Floor area 63,851 m2 (687,290 sq ft)
Floors3
Parking3427
Website www.foresthillchase.com.au

Forest Hill Chase is a major regional shopping centre located in Forest Hill, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. It has approximately 200 shops across three levels and parking space for over 3400 cars.

Contents

Known locally as "The Chase", it has three supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi), two discount department stores (Target & Harris Scarfe), a Hoyts cinema complex and some smaller anchor stores. The JY Group and Haben Property Fund have shared joint 50/50 ownership of Forest Hill Chase since 2022.

First proposed in 1957, the centre officially opened on 30 June 1964 with 70 shops in an open-air mall layout, and has since undergone significant redevelopments completed in July 1976 and December 1990. It was originally known as the Forest Hill(s) Shopping Centre, becoming Forest Hill Chase during redevelopment in 1989.

Early development (1956–64)

Background

In 1956 property developer Paul Fayman (1921–1985) and a consortium of investors acquired a large tract of agricultural land along Canterbury Road, Forest Hill, intending to establish a landmark retail and residential development. [Note 1] The venture followed Ken Myer’s 1954 purchase of 86 acres in East Burwood for an American-style shopping centre, which was an emerging concept in Victoria at the time. [1] [2] [3]

In June 1957, Fayman & associates officially announced a £5 million project featuring about 75 shops, two service stations, a housing estate, banks, a theatre, a health centre, a crèche, public gardens, and free parking for 530 cars. The close proximity to Myer’s planned East Burwood centre prompted Myer to redirect focus to Melbourne’s south-east, resulting in Chadstone Shopping Centre, opened in October 1960. [4]

Planning and delays (1957–59)

The earliest plans for the centre were drawn up in April 1957 by architect Bill Wheatland, who a few years later worked on the Sydney Opera House project. [5] [6] Some of the developers and their consultants were sent to the United States to observe its shopping centres. One such centre was the Stonestown Galleria in San Francisco, which heavily influenced Wheatland's final design. [7]

The plan featured two open-air strip malls arranged in a rectangular formation known as Canterbury Court, surrounding two landscaped courtyards. These were divided by a sloping row of shops, Centre Court, which linked the front and rear car parks. [8] [9] [10] Set to be the development was initially a joint venture between Fayman's consortium and Walter McLaughlan, a footwear retailer. Permits were granted in August 1958 and major retailers Woolworths, Coles, Caltex, Shell, and Pattersons reserved sites. [11] [12]

Tenders for construction were called in December 1958, but just us works were about to commence, the business partnership abruptly came to an end over financial shortcomings and a protracted legal dispute. [13] [10] [14]

By March 1959, new funding was secured through Paynes Properties, part of the Reid-Murray conglomerate, which took a controlling interest under its "Develop Victoria" program and planned to open a Paynes Bon Marché department store on-site. [15] With additional funding secured, leading commercial architect Leslie Perrott Junior and his firm were engaged to finalise the design, retaining the 1957 road layout. [16]

The anchor stores along Canterbury Road were to have carborundum powder in their facades to create a sparkling effect in sunlight. [17] Over £250,000 was allocated for roads, drainage, and sewerage on the 27½-acre site. A 190-lot housing estate was developed alongside, with contracts for all road-making let to FJ Kerr & Bros – who built Barter Crescent, Paul Road, and a 1.3 km extension of Mahoneys Road connecting Burwood and Canterbury Roads. Residential land first went to auction in December 1959, with many homes being constructed by the developers and sold as a package. [18]

A press conference to officially launch the development was held on 26 May 1959 at the Hotel Australia. In attendance were journalists from local TV stations, radio, newspapers, developers, architects and investors. [19] In announcing his company's participation in the new £6,000,000 Forest Hill project, Norman Rockman predicted that "regional drive-in shopping centres will soon play a vital part in the shopping habits of the community." [20] Representing Payne's Properties and the Reid-Murray group, Raymond Borg said in his speech to the crowd: "My associates and I feel we shall build more than an ultra-modern drive-in shopping centre, planned by far-sighted people." [20]

Development collapse (1959–63)

After another brief financial delay, tenders for construction of the centre were eventually called and preliminary site works had commenced by November 1959. [21] Contracter McDougall-Ireland was awarded the tender, building three large department stores and an arcade of 10 smaller shops in the central north-to-south arcade. The developers sought to establish a £100,000 hotel opposite the proposed shopping centre, and the Board of Works granted provisional approval. Plans had been prepared by architects Leslie M Perrott & Partners, who notably designed the Southern Cross Hotel and Hotel Australia. Carlton & United Breweries were to operate its bars and applied for a liquor license. [22] [23]

But this move was strongly opposed by local government who stressed road safety issues and the welfare of the students at the adjacent Nunawading High School. A traffic survey was conducted that showed 10,000 cars were passing the proposed development site daily as at May 1959, and that traffic would double if the hotel was built. [24] The centre's opening was subsequently rescheduled from March 1960 to January 1961, but this was optimistic given the circumstances facing the developers. [25] [26] After 89 ratepayers and local associations sent written objections to Council, it was agreed by a vote of 9 to 1 that Council should intervene and a public hearing was convened at the Licensing Court. [27] In June 1960, amid protracted legal disputes and the establishment of a protest society, the developers announced that they would instead build a supermarket on the site originally designated for the hotel. [28] [29]

About a quarter of the centre's shops had been built but would sit empty as an ongoing stock market crisis took place. [30] Weeks turned into months, and the semi-completed centre at Forest Hill would sit deserted for well-over a year. Meanwhile, the rival Chadstone centre opened in October 1960 to much fanfare. In his sole biographical interview, Fayman described the site at Forest Hill as being like "a ghost town". The project had completely flopped, and the centre was left to collect dust. Brand-new windows were broken with stones while the buildings sat empty. The parking surfaces became a place for drifting cars. [31] One of the developers, Raymond Borg, was soon investigated for unrelated fraud and served jail time before changing his name and moving overseas. [32] [33] This received extension coverage by the press, and lead to one of the principal financial backers of the project at Forest Hill, the Reid-Murray Group, to be placed into a receivership amid what journalists described as the single largest and longest bankruptcy in Australian history. [34]

Project restarts (1963–64)

Once the stock market had recovered, Paul Fayman and his associates began seeking additional investors to get the project going again. As Fayman recalled, he was showing shop builders Maurice Alter and George Herscu around the deserted centre when Herscu suddenly blurted out: "Why just buy the shops? I want to buy the whole centre". [35] [36] Alter and Herscu subsequently acquired a joint controlling share in the development, buying out most of the shop sites while Fayman and his associates retained around a 25% interest. [37] The Fayman-Alter-Herscu partnership would later consolidate their companies as the Masaga Group, which soon morphed into prominent realestate firm Hanover Holdings. One journalist suggested that the success of the centre at Forest Hill laid the foundation of Herscu and Alter’s multi-billion dollar fortune. [38]

With the backing of Herscu and Alter, Fayman’s team managed to convince supermarket chain owner William (Bill) Pratt and his executives to inspect the unfinished Forest Hill centre. Alter and Fayman greeted them at the site and proposed that the Pratts Supermarket chain should lease the centre's unfinished 25,000 square-foot department store and convert it into a large supermarket. [39] Recalling the condition of the site, one executive Trevor Herd stated that there were "derelict buildings with cows grazing" and "lots of mud." [40] Pratt and his executives were keen to open a supermarket at Forest Hill, but the promising deal came with a catch: Pratts could occupy the site if they arranged for McEwans Hardware to lease a large adjacent store. This turned out to be relatively easy as the Pratts Group had previous dealings with McEwans management. Once this was finalised, the developers secured the Moores department store chain to be the third anchor tenant. [41]


After years of public uncertainty, a press conference to announce the opening date was held on 2 March 1964 and attended by representatives of the future major tenants. [42] It was revealed that the centre would officially open in 4 months time, and additional site works commenced. [43] Existing buildings were reconfigured to allow modernised self-service areas, and local council contracted local architect T. W. Saward to design a £5,000 public toilet block. [39] [44] Several promotional events were staged at the centre weeks leading up to the official launch, including an archery demonstration and a Motorkhana exhibition in the car park. [45] [46]

Official opening (1964)

The centre was officially opened by Mayor of Nunawading Owen Goldsborough at 11am, Tuesday 30 June 1964. Popular entertainer Graham Kennedy, then at the peak of his fame with In Melbourne Tonight, made an appearance at the opening ceremony. Some 11 thousand keen shoppers from all across Victoria were there. A large bundle of balloons was released to mark the official opening. [47] Television cameras from were present, but no footage of the event has surfaced. [48] Australian Safeway Limited, the Australian division of America's famous Safeway chain of supermarkets, partnered with Pratts to open the first "Safeway" branded supermarket in the country at Forest Hill. This had 12 checkout points and a staff of more than 50 assistants, making it the second largest grocery store in Australia. [49] At the preview before the official opening, Bill Pratt overheard Sir Edgar Coles say to some of his executives: "I have been sending people overseas to find out what is the latest in retailing, now I can send them out here". [39] Managing agents Blackburn & Lockwood were instrumental in securing tenants for the smaller specialty stores, later moving their head office to the centre. [50]

When shops opened for business at 9:30am, it appeared as though the opening would be a flop as it was relatively quiet. One store manager said there were only about eight people lining up at his store when he opened for business. But by 10am, the crowd had increased to many thousands. Doors were closed in some stores and shoppers were allowed in at 20 a time. Police were kept busy controlling shoppers traffic. [51] An executive of Safeway-Pratts, John Flood, reported that 11,000 people had passed through the Forest Hill supermarket on its first day. He said that Graham Kennedy, who toured the centre for over an hour, was responsible for bringing a lot of people to the opening event. "Sales staff had to force shoppers back to make a path for him" he said. [51] Manager of the Moores department store, Graham Pledge, said his store served around 8,000 customers and had to order additional staff and registers from their city stores to handle the unprecedented demand. [52] The McEwans hardware store, managed by Les Vagg, was stocked with £45,000 worth of hardware and homewares, serving around 5000 customers on the first day. [51] [53] The first stage opening celebrations concluded when actress Evie Hayes toured the new centre and met with customers as part of a promotional event for the Safeway supermarket on July 16. [54]

Second stage (1964-65)

Two weeks after the highly-successful opening event, it was officially announced after much speculation that Coles would build a 930m² variety store at Forest Hills – anchoring the second stage of the centre's development. [55] Opened under management of Ken Overend, the store's merchandise displays and layout were heavily influenced by the American department store model. [56] In September 1964, a week-long school holiday gala was held at the centre which included guest appearances from children's TV stars Zig and Zag (Thursday 3rd), Joff Ellen (Friday 4th), Norman Swain (Monday 7th), Gerry Gee and Ron Blaskett (Tuesday 8th) and Happy Hammond (Wednesday 9th) [57]

By late 1964, new shops were opening at Forest Hills weekly. A local periodical reported in September 1964 that "Hundreds of men are busy at work laying thousands of bricks, placing huge steel roof trusses and laying hundreds of miles of wiring and piping in their race to prepare many additional shops which are due to open in late October." [58] This came with the opening of Lindsays on 29 October 1964, attracting a rush of over 6500 customers. The store manager, Bob Morris, said that by 11:30am the sales had exceeded the opening day figures for the competing Chadstone store. Coinciding was the opening of Hannams, a popular electrical appliance store. Managing director Jack Taylor expressed surprise with the turnout for the opening, and said that "Forest Hills has a golden future". [59]

Stores continued to open over the following months, including Simons Shoes (12 November), Toy Emporium (19 November), John Chandler Pharmacy (27 November), Bradmans (4 December), Dobsons (21 December), Norman Oliver Butcher (3 December), the Junior Show (3 December), Palmer & Son (3 December). Other notable tenants were Sussans, Alexanders Clothing, Edments/Hartleys and branches of the State Savings and ANZ banks. [60]

Third stage (1965–70)

In April 1965, a multi-level climbing structure in the shape of a rocket was installed in the centre's eastern garden court. It was extremely popular with several generations of children, remaining there until it was removed to make way for redevelopment of the centre in June 1987. It was subsequently restored by parents of the Syndal South Primary School and erected in the playground of the school where it is still in use today. A plaque commemorating its history has been placed on it. [61] [62]

To celebrate three years of the centre's operation, in mid-1967, centre management staged a 2-week-long "shopping gala" with an entertainment program, celebrity guest appearances and expensive prize-winning competitions. [63] By arrangement with the nearby ATV-0 studios, talent show host Gordon Boyd sang at the centre on 27 July 1967 to open the celebrations. Then came Radio 3UZ's Noel Ferrier and Mary Hardy on, who hosted a live radio show in the outdoor courtyards. [64] The main attraction came on 7 July, when ATV-0 star Jimmy Hannan visited the centre to announce the prize winners during a live segment of his daytime show, Take a Letter. [65]

In December 1967, centre management officially announced $4m had been invested into the expansion of Forest Hills. Local architect Thord Lorich was contracted to design a double-storey restaurant, a sports centre with a pool, a radio broadcasting booth, additional shops and a picture theatre, adding approximately 12,000m² of retail space. [66] [67] [68] The expansion program was fast-tracked in response to the announcement that several rival centres were soon to be opened in surrounding suburbs – including the Old Orchard Shopping Centre at Blackburn (1967) and the Australia's first Kmart department store at Burwood (1969). These threatened the integrity of Forest Hill's core catchment size and warranted the centre's swift expansion. [69]

In January 1967, former Mayor of Prahran Emlyn Jones secured the lease of a 325 m² store within the soon-to-be built Forest Hills Theatre, and applied to the Licensing Commission to open a licensed grocer called Forest Hill Cellars. It was to sell an array of Australian and imported wines. Jones eventually obtained a liquor license in mid-1968, and spent the resulting months meticulously fitting out and decorating the space in preparation for its scheduled opening in August. A reporter from the Nunawading Gazette described it as the "biggest, most imaginative, fully equiped cellar in the area". [70] It was later taken over by the Mac's San Remo chain before closing around July 1989. [71] [72]

Redevelopments and refurbishments

Marketplace redevelopment (1974–76)

In April 1974, the centre's owners announced plans to extend the Forest Hill Centre by 24,0000m2. [73] A finalised redevelopment scheme was released in June 1975, which was to cost $10m (roughly equivalent to $115m in 2025). A free-standing, split-level indoor shopping centre was to be built on the original rear car park and would have air conditioning, escalators, additional shops, a fresh food market and community spaces. The project was advertised as the "largest shopping/market complex in the Eastern suburbs", serving a catchment area of around 370,000 customers. [74] The redevelopment officially opened on 20 July 1976. [75]

Safeway moved from their tenancy at Canterbury Road to a newer, larger store in the lower level of the redevelopment opposite the food market stalls. A Woolworths supermarket and the largest McEwans hardware store outside of the city occupied the upper level. The first part of the scheme was completed in 1975, when the original open-air parking lot at Canterbury Road was replaced by a multi-deck car park, increasing the centre's parking capacity to 2,000. [76] The project was designed in the brutalist style by architect Ray Barnard-Brown, who designed several nearby centres. [77] The original facade of the multi-deck car park at Canterbury Road, which was covered over in the 2010s, was strikingly similar to the one at Footscray Market. [77]

Forest Hill Chase redevelopment (1981–90)

In 1981, centre management engaged Meldrum Burrows & Partners to conduct a feasibility study concerning a proposed remodelling and expansion of Forest Hill. Their study highlighted that Forest Hill was primarily populated by small convenience stores and lower-order comparison goods retailers, lacking both a department store and a large discount store capable of offering a diverse range of merchandise. This absence of variety put Forest Hill at a competitive disadvantage against rival shopping centres, which were evolving to meet consumer demands for one-stop shopping experiences. [78]

Furthermore, the outdoor centre's facilities were found lacking in several key areas. It provided insufficient amenities for shoppers, including inadequate weather protection in numerous locations, a lack of air conditioning in various shops and common areas, and limited space for display and promotional activities. [78] [79] A proposed $100 million redevelopment would see replacement of the original outdoor centre with a multi-level, indoor mall with 210 tenancies, a 450-seat gourmet food court with an indoor charity fountain and glass elevator, a fresh food market, and parking for about 3000 cars. [80] Architects Buchan, Laird and Bawden, who were chosen to design the redevelopment, took inspiration from the St. Louis Galleria in Missouri. [81]

The two atriums feature large skylights, constructed with polycarbonate and reticulated steel, with a barrel vault shape. The food court originally had a late-19th century French spelter statue of a winged figure holding a clock that stood 2.4 metres high. [82] The City Of Nunawading approved the project in July 1986 and works commenced in August with the demolition of six houses on Flora Grove to free up space for a reconstruction of the car park and roadworks to develop Pacific Way; an access and bypass route to service the redevelopment. [83]

The old, outdoor shops were demolished in August 1987 except for a row of three stores next to the Mahoneys Road pedestrian entrance, which remain there today. The split-level indoor "Marketplace" addition, completed in 1976, was also retained but majorly reconfigured to accommodate new tenancies including a multi-level Harris Scarfe store. [84] The first stage of the expanded centre opened on 12 September 1989, and 113 shops were operating by July 1990. [85] The second stage of the redevelopment was officially completed by December 1990. [75] Fifty-nine shops from the old section were relocated to the new centre. The Hoyts 10 cinema complex opened on the third level on 26 December 1989 with 10 screens and 2,500 seats. [86] [87]

Alterations and additions (1993-2017)

The Nunawading Council Community Resource Centre opened on Level 3 around 1993. It came after several years of debate between the local Council and Pacific Shopping Centres about where the council's community space allocation should be placed. [88] It housed community groups such as the Maternal and Child Health Services, Adult Day Activity and Support Service, Lao Women's Association of Victoria, Nunawading Community Chest, Nunawading Older Persons' Action Group, The Communities Council On Ethnic Issues, U3A Nunawading, Youth Adult Bureau, the Iranian Society of Victoria, and the Lions Club of Victoria. [89] A council information centre was also established and offered a "non-threatening" environment where citizens could pick up council brochures and printed information on a range of council and community services or can have their questions answered. [90] [91]

In November 1993, Australia's first dedicated, public virtual reality centre opened at Shop 263 (next to present-day TK Maxx tenancy) on the centre's second level. Operated by the Cyberspace corporation, it debuted with Exorex, a robot seek and destroy experience. [92] Forest Hill Chase and Hoyts were among the many objectors to a highly publicised 1995 proposal by Reading Cinemas to establish a $25 million 25-screen complex in the nearby suburb of Burwood, which ultimately failed to materialise. [93] [94] A bar lounge and tavern with 90 gaming machines (later reduced to 50) called Vegas at The Chase opened on the centre's third level in early March 1995. [95] [96]

The opening was delayed due to several legal disputes and trouble obtaining a liquor license. [97] The space had been reserved since the redevelopment opened. [98] Around 1997, Harris Scarfe was downsized from its two level form to occupying only Level 1, to allow a new Big W store to open in the now vacant space on Level 2. [99] An AMF (now Zone) bowling alley with 28 lanes and children's play centre Run Riot opened on Level 3 around the year 2000. [100] In the biggest redevelopment of the centre since 1989/1990, levels one and two were completely refurbished in 2007. Kmart Tyre & Auto Service was relocated to a new free standing site in Pacific Way, which was completed in March 2007. The interior malls on level one and two were refurbished with new floor tiling laid, removal of the traditional gold and marble balustrades with modern steel balustrades installed, and the removal of the stairwells at the south of the centre near Big W. The level two toilets were fully refurbished, completed in June 2007.

The Mahoneys Road entrance was upgraded, with the existing glass canopy replaced and upgraded with a terrace installed on Level 3 for use by the Chase Hotel, which was completed by June 2007. The Alliance for Gambling Reform later made calls for the hotel to close down its pokies after it was revealed that almost $16 million was gambled in a year. [101] The centre's Kmart permanently closed on 31 January 2007 and was subsequently converted to Target, which opened in September 2007. The food court was also refurbished and extended around this time. A dance studio began operating out of the former Forest Hill Cinema building on Mahoneys Road in 2012 but would soon close. [102]

The centre's third level was expanded and refurbished during the second half of 2010, complementing the earlier refurbishment of the other levels of the centre and introducing a number of new tenants. Around this time, Pancake Parlour was closed and replaced by TGI Fridays. The refurbishment of Level 3, including mall reconfiguration, expansion and renovation, new escalators between levels two and three, and a new centre entry to a new car park, was completed in December 2010.[ citation needed ] The construction of an additional deck of car parking located west of Hoyts above the existing Target/Coles multi-deck car park, including 317 spaces, opened on 15 December 2010. An updated 'Entertainment and Dining' precinct with a refurbished Hoyts cinema, three new restaurants as well as new minor anchor retailers JB Hi-Fi, Rebel and gymnasium Fit n Fast was established. The Hoyts Multiplex was closed in July 2010 for a much needed refurbishment. Four of the cinemas were handed back to the centre and converted into retail space as part of the upgrade and redevelopment of Level 3. [103] The current seating capacities are 161 in cinemas 1, 2, 5 and 6 and 173 in cinemas 3 and 4. [104]

In 2012, Harris Scarfe returned to the centre and spent more than $2 million redeveloping the store in the area previously occupied by Myer. The centre also expanded its fresh food market on level one, which included a new Aldi supermarket on top of the Canterbury Road multi deck car park, which caused a small increase in undercover parking. A new refurbished bus zone was also built as a result. (A temporary bus zone was constructed adjacent to Kmart Tyre & Auto during construction). In 2013, the glass lift in the food court, which travels from the basement car park through to level 3 was replaced, as the existing lift was too small, causing heavy congestion as it became the only fully accessible way to move between levels 2 and 3 after a past level 3 redevelopment. The expanded lift is now operating and carries up to 26 people. New facade and centre entrance treatments were also installed along the Canterbury Road car park frontage and around the Level 2 Best & Less centre entry. [105]

Recent upgrades (2017–2025)

In late 2017, works began to revamp the third floor and partially renovate the second floor. The east wing of the Level 2 mall, which formerly housed Dimmeys and a few other retailers, was closed down for several months and completely renovated and re-configured. Dimmeys moved to a smaller location near the Level 1 food court (which later closed down permanently) with JB Hi-Fi and Rebel moving from their former Level 3 tenancies. The escalators linking Level 2 and Level 3 were also removed to allow for more retail space.[ citation needed ] In 2018, Big W closed down, with a new TK Maxx store occupying part of the available space, with its entrance opposite the newly re-located JB Hi-Fi and Rebel stores. A new Medical Centre and Child Care Centre will occupy the remainder of the space of the former Big W. In 2019, Level 3 was renovated, with the space left behind by JB Hi-Fi and Rebel being converted into more dining retailers, with the whole level getting a refurbishment and being branded as "The Loft". Zone Bowling (formerly AMF) and Timezone were also renovated to combine the two tenancies together with a new look. A new glass lift was also installed near the escalator located outside Woolworths with access to all levels.[ citation needed ]

Adjoining buildings

Sports centre & office building (79 Mahoneys Road)

As first proposed in the 1959 development plan for Forest Hill, a multi-storey building comprising a modern sports club, a ground-floor showroom and office suites was constructed at 69-79 Mahoneys Road (directly opposite the shopping centre). Designed in the post-war modernist style by Thord Lorich, construction began in September 1968 and the complex opened its doors in October 1969. [106] [107] Originally designed in late 1967 as a much smaller double-storey complex, an additional level was added to the blueprints last-minute at the request of developer George Herscu – making it one of the tallest commercial buildings in the area. [107] The structure was also engineered to be extended vertically in future, but this never eventuated. The building retains much of its original period features including luxurious terrazzo flooring, brass balustrades, textured ceilings, decorative wall panelling and the original Johns & Waygood traction elevator. Externally, the brown brick facade and its rectilinear, gold-framed windows contribute to the building’s distinctly midcentury aesthetic. [108] Up until redevelopment of the centre in 1989, the top floor offices were occupied by centre management. [109]

The sports centre occupied multiple levels within the building and had a heated tiled plunge pool and spa, a sauna, creche, coffee lounge and a trampoline area. The first tenant was the Brendan Edwards fitness chain, which offered a $4-per-week membership and became an instant success amongst locals who praised its modern facilities. [110] Local sportsman John Driver took over the lease in late 1977 and it became the John Driver Sports & Fitness Centre. Despite having around 4000 members, this closed about ten years later in August 1987. The site sat empty for a few years until 1992, when the Lifestyle Fitness chain moved in and renovated. [111] [112] [88] An independent company called Metro Health & Fitness began leasing the site in 2001 and ran the Forest Hill Swim School. This went bankrupt in 2005, and much of the original tenancy remains unoccupied. [113] In 2011, the top level of the old gymnasium, which had originally served as a creche, was cut off from the rest of the building and fitted out to accommodate the Whitehorse Community Resource Centre. [114] The original ground floor tenancies have since been combined and are currently occupied by Fresenius Medical Care, a healthcare company which provides kidney dialysis services. [115]

Forest Hill Theatre (67 Mahoneys Road)

In 1967, it was announced that an auditorium designed to TV studio specifications would be constructed on Mahoneys Road, and would run daily matinees for shoppers, special audiences and schools. It became the first purpose-built picture theatre in Nunawading, boasting over 360 seats, a snack bar, coffee lounge and two adjoining shops. [116] Designed by local architect Thord Lorich with assistance from engineers at the nearby ATV-0 studios, the tall utilitarian building is clad with a midcentury cream brick veneer – decorated with occasional terrazzo, ceramic and granolithic finishes. Custom roller doors were incorporated into the second storey facade to allow for the camera/equipment installation directly into the mezzanine, which contained the projection area, an ovoid-shaped orchestra balcony and dressing rooms. The projection cabin, which housed twin colour film projectors and a slide projector, was situated behind a timber-panelled gallery overlooking the auditorium. [117]

The opening night took place on Friday 31 May 1968, with an entertainment programme including dances and a screening of Otto Preminger's Hurry Sundown with music by local musician Vic Conner at the Hammond organ. [118] ATV-0 beamed a test colour television transmission from their nearby studios at Hawthorn Road to the cinema in March 1970, five years before colour broadcasts were formally introduced to Australia. [119] Another notable screening was of the post-apocalyptic drama film Beyond Reason, which Giorgio Mangiamele produced locally. This premiered in May 1970 at the Forest Hills Theatre. [120] The theatre's original operators, a company called Sherwood Productions, went through legal troubles and subsequently terminated their lease early. The cinema re-opened in January 1970 with Dendy as the operator, who made minor alterations including a reduction of seating from 362 to 337 and some equipment upgrades. Village began operating it from 1978 until Palace took over in 1980. [117] [121]

The building ceased screening movies after its closure in September 1989, shortly before Hoyts opened across the road in the new Forest Hill Chase redevelopment. It had its last full house as a cinema on 20 May 1988 when it screened Crocodile Dundee II – which sold so many tickets that patrons were overflowing into the projection booth. [122] In 1990, Canadian/American steak and seafood chain The Keg used the building as their recruitment office. [123] By late 1992, the building had been converted into a night club venue called "The Bunker", which shut down the following year due to an uprise in "antisocial behaviour". [124] [125] Centre management worked with council officers and local police to re-open it as "Club 3131", a community-based blue light disco. This close in the early 2000s, and the building sat vacant for a number of years before it was eventually converted into a ballet studio and later a community theatre. These have since closed, and refurbishment works are underway as of 2025. [126]

Corner restaurant (1-3 Mahoneys Road)

A contemporary double-storey restaurant was commissioned at the south-east corner of Canterbury and Mahoneys Roads in December 1967. Situated opposite the shopping centre, it was originally leased by prominent hotelier Frank Dennis, who operated the fully-licensed Crystal Forest restaurant for 13 years. [127] It was among the most popular dining spots in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, with a luxurious interior contained within a extravagant modernist facade designed by Thord Lorich. [128] The ground-floor dining area had a capacity of 100, and a large function space upstairs could hold about 300. [129] In late 1980, it was refurbished and reopened as a Cantonese live seafood restaurant called Dragons Court. and later operated as Phase 2, which served a wider range of asian cuisine. The building was reconfigured to allow two separate tenancies not long after it suffered a fire in 2003. These are currently occupied by KamBo (ground floor) and Kbox (first floor). [130]

Incidents

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Notes

  1. ↑ Fredrick Arthur Loomes, a war veteran and poultry farmer, was paid £59,800 for his share of site.

References

  1. ↑ City of Whitehorse Post-1945 Heritage Study (PDF). Melbourne: Built Heritage. 2016.
  2. ↑ Farries, Geoffrey (15 March 1958). "A lead for Australia: In America shopping is down out of town". The Age. p. 2.
  3. ↑ Reeves, Maurice (23 January 1959). "A new way of shopping: Large firms combine to make buying easier for housewife". The Age. p. 2.
  4. ↑ "Shopping Centres". Vermont - The Story of a Community. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  5. ↑ McNay, Nigel (28 August 2013). "Wheatland's grand design remembered". The Border Mail. p. 19.
  6. ↑ Ruppert, Brittany (1 October 2013). "Loyal and dedicated to Opera House cause". The Age. p. 34.
  7. ↑ Reeves, Maurice (3 March 1959). "Survey shows habits: Drive-in centres will make shopping easier". The Age. p. 2.
  8. ↑ "Plan of Proposed New Shopping Centre". Eastern Times. 14 August 1957. p. 1.
  9. ↑ [Brochure] Stonestown: Australia's most up-to-date shopping centre modelled on America's famous shopping centre. Forest Hill Heights Pty Ltd. 1958.
  10. 1 2 "New Centre at Nunawading". The Age. 19 September 1958. p. 3.
  11. ↑ [Cartographical material] Forest Hill Shopping Centre. P&W Planners and Engineers. 30 April 1957.
  12. ↑ "Major Drive-In Projects Under Way". Eastern Times. 14 August 1958. p. 1.
  13. ↑ "[Call for tender] Stonestown Drive-In Shopping Centre: P. & W. Wheatland". The Age. 13 December 1958. p. 12.
  14. ↑ Walter Neunham McLaughlan and Forest Hill Heights Pty Ltd. Supreme Court Victoria. 1966.
  15. ↑ Annual report for 1959. Reid-Murray Holdings.
  16. ↑ "£6m Shop Centre for Nunawading". The Age. 27 May 1959. p. 5.
  17. ↑ Specifications for the construction of the Forest Hill Drive-In Shopping Centre. Leslie M. Perrott & Partners. 19 May 1959.
  18. ↑ "Work Soon on £6m. Centre". The Age. 4 December 1959. p. 21.
  19. ↑ "Model of New Shopping Centre Excites Interest". The Age. 27 May 1959. p. 15.
  20. 1 2 [Press kit] Forest Hill Drive-In Shopping Centre. Forest Hill Heights Pty Ltd. 1959.
  21. ↑ "£6,000,000 Forest Hill Drive-In: First Section Ready In March Next Year". Eastern Times. 28 May 1959. pp. 1 & 10 – via State Library Victoria.
  22. ↑ "Letters To The Editor, Liquor License at Forest Hill". The Age. 5 December 1959. p. 2.
  23. ↑ "Forest Hill Drive-In Shopping Centre". The Age. 9 December 1960. p. 10.
  24. ↑ "Council fights hotel plan for Forest Hills". Eastern Times. 28 May 1959. p. 16.
  25. ↑ "8 Firms Coming To Forest Hill". Eastern Times. 7 (48): 1. 3 March 1960.
  26. ↑ Drainage - Construction of Drain - Flora Gve, Mahoneys Rd & Glebe St. City of Nunawading General Correspondence Files, Alpha-Numeric System (PROV VPRS9545). 1960.
  27. ↑ "Hotel views to be invited". Eastern Times. December 1959. p. 2.
  28. ↑ "Nunawading Refuses Permit For Hotel Site". The Age. 26 May 1959. p. 3.
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  35. ↑ Cooper, Karen (24 June 1989). "Don't drop your bundle, says man with $2 billion hiccup". The Age. p. 2.
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  38. ↑ Ostrow, Ruth (1986). The New Boy Network.
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  41. ↑ Alves, Lesley (2010). Suburban Heartland: A History of the City of Whitehorse. Richmond, Victoria. p. 168.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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  43. ↑ "JUNE OPENING FOR NEW FOREST HILL CENTRE". City of Nunawading Gazette. 1 (6): 1. 4 March 1964.
  44. ↑ "Architect named in £5,000 project". Eastern Times. 4 March 1964.
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  47. ↑ "TV STAR AT NEW CENTRE'S OPENING". Eastern Times. 24 June 1964. p. 10.
  48. ↑ "Opening of Forest Hills". The Age. 1 July 1964. p. 6.
  49. ↑ "Grocery revolution". Age Midweek Magazine. 27 January 1965. pp. 15 & 17.
  50. ↑ "Classifieds: Forest Hill Shopping Centre Blackburn & Lockwood". The Age. 15 April 1964. p. 29.
  51. 1 2 3 "Forest Hill Opening "Fantastic"". City of Nunawading Gazette. 8 July 1964. p. 23.
  52. ↑ "Ringwood Man Heads New Moore's Store". Eastern Times. 24 June 1964. p. 10.
  53. ↑ "McEwan's sales rise". The Sun. 26 January 1965.
  54. ↑ "Meet our guest personality at Safeway-Pratts". Nunawading Gazette. 15 July 1967.
  55. ↑ "Coles to open at Forest Hill". The Age. 15 July 1964. p. 8.
  56. ↑ "Huntin' around Forest Hills". City of Nunawadin Gazette: 14. August 1968 – via State Library of Victoria.
  57. ↑ "Gala days at Forest Hills". Nunawading Gazette. 2 September 1964.
  58. ↑ "IT'S THE CENTRE WITH GROWING PAINS". City of Nunawading Gazette: 15. 2 September 1964.
  59. ↑ "CROWDS RUSH FOREST HILLS STORES". Nunawading Gazette. 3 November 1964. p. 1.
  60. ↑ "Electrical chain to open at Forest Hill". 27 May 1964.
  61. ↑ "Forest Hills Shopping Centre, Melbourne, Rocket from the 1960s". Pinterest. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  62. ↑ "Reap the rewards of the forest". Facebook. 28 February 2017.
  63. ↑ "TV stars in shopping gala". Nunawading Gazette. 28 June 1967.
  64. ↑ "Gordon Boyd at Forest Hill". Nunawading Gazette. 21 June 1967.
  65. ↑ "Hurry! Last days of Forest Hills 3rd birthday sale". Nunawading Gazette. 5 July 1967.
  66. ↑ Sands & McDougall's directory of Victoria. Sands & McDougall. 1974.
  67. ↑ Report by The Independent Planning Panel appointed by The Minister of Planning to review submissions about Amendment L31 of the Nunawading Planning Scheme (PDF). August 1994.
  68. ↑ Davie, Ray (21 November 1968). "Shop centre buys 80 acres for housing". The Age. p. 13.
  69. ↑ "It's a boomer! Thousands flock to new shopping centre". Nunawading Gazette. 18 October 1967. p. 28.
  70. ↑ "[Full page article] Forest Hill Cellars". Nunawading Gazette. 21 August 1968. p. 17.
  71. ↑ "Hotels and other licenses, notice of an application for transfer of a packaged liqour license. Name of applicant, Mac's Liquor Pty. Ltd". The Age. 10 July 1989. p. 20.
  72. ↑ "History". Advocate Medical Centre. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  73. ↑ Clarke, Kevin (24 April 1974). "Farmers till rich field of property". The Age. p. 23.
  74. ↑ "Forest Hill 1976". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
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  76. ↑ Glass, Peter (1975). "Collection of garden designs by Peter Glass, Job No 174: Canterbury Road, Forest Hill, for Forest Hill Shopping Centre. Planting proposals for car parking".
  77. 1 2 "$10 million development for Forest Hill Shopping Centre/Marketplace". The Herald. 1 July 1975. p. 13.
  78. 1 2 Forest Hill Shopping Centre Proposed Remodelling and Extension of Part of the Existing Centre. Meldrum Burrows & Partners. May 1981.
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  80. ↑ Molloy, Andrew (22 April 1990). "Forest Hill: housing is cheap, shopping great". The Age. p. 38.
  81. ↑ Luker, Paul (28 September 1988). "Forest Hills centre gets $100m facelift". The Age. p. 69.
  82. ↑ Kerr, Judith (13 September 1989). "First stage opening is new era". Nunawading Gazette.
  83. ↑ Forest Hill Activity Centre Structure Plan. Wilson Sayer Core & Arup Transport Planning. November 1992.
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  85. ↑ "Forest Hill Chase Now Leasing Stage II". The Age. 14 July 1990. p. 169.
  86. ↑ "Notice for application of a theatre lisence [sic] for portion of premises to be constructed and to be known as Hoyts 10 Forest Hill Cinema Complex". The Age. 28 December 1987. p. 23.
  87. ↑ "Hoyts 10 Forest Hill Opens Today!". The Age. 26 December 1989. p. 24.
  88. 1 2 Tabain, Merita (18 December 1991). "Chase spot for public". Nunawading Gazette.
  89. ↑ "Resource Centre opens its doors". 1993.
  90. ↑ Rance, Carolyn (22 May 1993). "Shopfront council is a potential model". The Age.
  91. ↑ Forest Hill Activity Centre Planning Scheme Amendment. Volume 1: Overview Report. Ratio Consultants Pty Ltd. August 1993.
  92. ↑ Perkins, Lee (16 December 1992). "When reality is a Dactyl Nightmare at Forest Hill". The Age: Green Home Computers Guide. p. 16.
  93. ↑ "Multi Cinema Complex : Leave To Appeal (Forest Hill Shopping Centre Pty Ltd & Ors v Whitehorse CC & Burgundy Two Pty Ltd)". 16 May 1996.
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  96. ↑ Roberts, Jo-Anne (10 April 1991). "Approval for two new entertainment complexes". Nunawading Gazette.
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  107. 1 2 Application for the Approval of the Commission of Plans and Specifications for the Erection or Alteration of a Public Building, 2-storey reinforced conceret and brick building, Forest Hill Heights Pty Ltd, Lots 101 & 102, Mahoneys Road, Forest Hill [Signed by George Herscu]. Public Health Commission. 29 November 1967.
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  120. ↑ "It's Simply Beyond Reason". The Age. 30 April 1970. p. 22.
  121. ↑ Certificate of Commissioner for Corporate Affairs Relating to the Registration of a Business Name, No. 489762H. Corporate Affairs Office of Victoria. 29 November 1980.
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  157. ↑ "Charges following Forest Hill stabbing". Victoria Police / Breaking News. 14 February 2025.
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