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
(c1970–88)
DeveloperForest Hill Heights
ManagementHaben (since 2022)
Owner Paul Fayman
(c1956–1983)
Walter McLaughlan
(1957–1959)
George Herscu
(1963-1977)
Maurice Alter
(1963–2004)
Novion
(2004–2015)
Blackstone
(2015–2022)
JY Group
(2022–)
Haben
(2022–)
Architect Bill Wheatland
(1957–58)
Leslie M. Perrott Jnr.
(1959–60)
Thord Lorich
(1966–69)
Ernest Fooks
(1973–79)
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 (1955–70)

Background

In 1955, Polish-born property developer Paul Fayman (1921–1985) bought a 3.8-hectare farm at Canterbury Road in Forest Hill, intending to establish a landmark retail destination for Melbourne's booming eastern suburbs. [Note 1] [1] The idea followed the Myer Emporium's 1954 purchase of 34 hectares in nearby Burwood for an American-style regional shopping centre – a concept then new to Victoria. [2]

After about two years of preliminary planning, it was formally announced in July 1957 that Fayman’s Forest Hill project would cost £5 million (later revised to £6 million) and comprise approximately 70 shops, two competing service stations, public open space, an adjoining housing estate, and unmetered parking for 1,400 cars—envisioned as an “almost complete town”. [3] [4]

Its proximity to Myer’s proposed Burwood centre is widely cited as a factor in Myer redirecting its focus to Melbourne’s south-east, leading to the development of Chadstone, which later became Australia’s largest shopping centre. [5] [6]

Early planning (1956–57) [7]

Envisioned as the largest and most modern of its kind in Victoria, the proposal began as a joint venture between Fayman's consortium of property developers, speculative financiers, lawyers, industrialists including Walter McLaughlan – who brought with him a team of architects, town planners, engineers, and managing agents. [8]

Initial blueprints were prepared in April 1957 by architect Bill Wheatland (1927–2013), already noted for his work on West Heidelberg's Bell Street Mall. [9] Developers and consultants made several study trips to the United States during this period, armed with cameras and tasked with surveying the newest generation of American regional shopping centres. [10]

Early plans referred to it as the Forest Hills Drive-In Shopping Centre, but by 1958 the scheme was being advertised as the Stonestown Drive-In Shopping Centre. [11] This name was a deliberate reference to Stonestown Galleria in San Francisco, one of the most influential post-war malls in the United States, whose architectural identity directly informed the design of the Forest Hill centre. [12] [13]

The Stonestown advertising campaign ceased by 1960, and the centre reverted to its earlier branding of Forest Hills in time for opening in June 1964. [14] However, this name caused controversy as it didn't accurately reflect the suburb of Forest Hill – instead keeping with the American theme and referencing the Forest Hills neighbourhood in New York City. The 's' of was dropped from the centre's branding in the early 1970s, however, it continued to be colloquially called Forest Hills well into following decades. [15]

The original centre was designed as a single-level, open-air strip complex built around a rectangular inner block called Canterbury Court, where two landscaped courtyards were enclosed by a continuous ring of shops. [16] An angled, sloping spine of stores known as Centre Court cut through the middle of the block, linking the large front and rear car parks while dividing the twin courtyards. [11] A service loop encircled the retail block, and a separate row of narrow, ancillary shops lined the eastern boundary along Mahoneys Road. [17]

Delays (1957–60)

The proposal was exceptionally ambitious for the time and struggled to gain momentum from the outset. After its initial announcement, information about the project became subject to continual rumours. In an October 1957 interview with the Nunawading Gazette, spokesperson Walter McLaughlan admitted the developers felt they almost owed an apology to local residents, prospective buyers, and business owners. "Few people could realise the headaches which arise in a project of the magnitude of 75 shops, 44 houses, a theatre, halls, and all the amenities to be built here," he said. [Note 2] [3]

Between 1955 and 1958, the developers acquired an additional 18 hectares of surrounding land, effectively quadrupling the housing estate's size to 190 lots. More than £250,000 was set aside for roads, drainage, and sewerage across the shopping centre's 11-hectare site. [18] All roadworks were contracted to F.J. Kerr & Bros, who constructed several streets including Barter Crescent, Paul Road, and a 1.3-kilometre extension of Mahoneys Road, linking Burwood Highway and Canterbury Road. [8] In preparation for a scheduled opening in early 1959, major retailers including Woolworths and Coles reserved sites. [19]

Tenders for construction were called in December 1958, but just as work was set to begin, the partnership between Fayman and McLaughlan collapsed amid financial shortfalls and internal disagreements. [20] Walter McLaughlan quit the project, later taking Fayman & his associates to the Supreme Court over a pay dispute. [Note 3] [21] By March 1959, Fayman's consortium secured new funding 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. [22]

Architect and developers inspect model of proposed shopping centre, 1959 Model of proposed Forest Hill Shopping Centre.jpg
Architect and developers inspect model of proposed shopping centre, 1959
Paul Fayman & associates, 1959 Paul Fayman and Associates.jpg
Paul Fayman & associates, 1959

With additional funding secured, leading commercial architects Leslie M. Perrott & Partners were hired to expand on and enhance Wheatland's 1957/58 design [18] [23] 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 and the project's developers, architects and investors. [24] [25] In announcing his company's participation in the £6,000,000 Forest Hill project, Norman Rockman of the Rockman's department store chain said that "regional drive-in shopping centres will soon play a vital part in the shopping habits of the community". [26] Rockman's, which had recently been acquired by Stanley Korman, joined the development as an anchor tenant. [27] [28] [29]


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." [26] He also said that the centre would be "the largest and most modern in Australia". [18] The next day, HSV-7 aired an interview with the project's supervising architect, Leslie M. Perrott Junior, who discussed his firm's design. [30] In October 1959, it was announced that a £50,000 medical centre would also be built next to the shopping centre, though this never eventuated. [31] Tenders for construction were called once again, and works commenced around November 1959. In preparation for construction of the shops and houses, an orchard of about 500 trees was bulldozed, 6 hectares of thickly-timbered remnant bushland was cleared, and a few old timber cottages were burnt down. [32]

Official re-announcement, 1959 Forest Hill announcement 1959.jpg
Official re-announcement, 1959

Contracter McDougall-Ireland built three large anchor stores near the car park at Canterbury Road, and a dozen subsidiary shops in the Centre Court. [10] Residential land first went to auction in December 1959, with many lots having homes built by Paynes Properties and sold as a package. [33] The developers sought to establish a £100,000 hotel with the centre, and Carlton & United Breweries applied for a liquor license. [34] [10] 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. [35] The centre's opening was subsequently rescheduled from March 1960 to January 1961, but this was optimistic given the circumstances facing the developers. [36] 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. [37]

Development collapse (1960–63)

Aerial view, 1961 Aerial view of Forest Hills Shopping Centre in 1961.jpg
Aerial view, 1961

In June 1960, amid protracted disputes and the establishment of a local protest society, the developers announced that they would not proceed with the hotel plans. [38] [39] By this time, only the initial few shops had been built, but would sit empty long past their schedule opening. [40] The delay was mainly due to declining economic conditions and an eventual stock market crash, which lead to the 1961/62 bankruptcy of industrialist Stanley Korman – a key backer of the project. [41]

In his sole biographical interview, Fayman likened the scenery at Forest Hill to "a ghost town". The abandoned parking surfaces became a place for drifting cars. [1] Meanwhile, rival centre Chadstone opened in October 1960 to much fanfare. [42] To make matters worse, another key financier – Raymond Borg of Payne's Properties – was under investigation for unrelated fraud and later served jail time. [43] [44] This received significant coverage by the press, contributing to Payne's parent company, Reid-Murray Holdings, being placed into a receivership amid what journalists described as the single-largest and longest bankruptcy in Australian history. [45] The liquidator confirmed in February 1964 that Reid-Murray's receivers still held an interest in the development, which one shareholder described as a "monument to stupidity". [46]

Development restarts again (1964)

Aerial view, 1964 Deserted Forest Hill Shopping Centre, circa 1963-64.jpg
Aerial view, 1964

In early 1964, nearly a decade after it was first proposed, 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". [47] [48] Alter and Herscu subsequently acquired a joint controlling interest in the development, which had previously been held bfy Reid-Murray's receivers. [46] Fayman & associates retained about a 25% interest. [49] The Fayman-Alter-Herscu partnership would later consolidate their companies as the Masaga Group, which soon morphed into the prominent 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. [50]

With the backing of Herscu and Alter, Fayman's team managed to convince supermarket chain owner Bill Pratt and his executives to inspect the unfinished Forest Hill centre. Alter and Fayman greeted them at the site and proposed that the Pratt's Supermarket chain should lease the centre's unfinished 25,000 square-foot department store and convert it into a large supermarket. [51] Recalling the condition of the site, a director stated that there were "derelict buildings with cows grazing" and "lots of mud". [52] Pratt agreed to open a branch of his self-service supermarket chain at Forest Hill, and as part of the deal, arranged for McEwans Hardware to lease a large adjoining store. [53] Shortly after, it was announced that a branch of the popular Moores department store chain was to be the centre's third major anchor tenant. [54] Agents Blackburn & Lockwood were instrumental in securing tenants for the centres' smaller stores. [55]

Nunawading Mayor (left) with Graham Kennedy (right) at the opening, 1964 Nunawading Mayor Owen Goldsborough and Graham Kennedy 2.jpg
Nunawading Mayor (left) with Graham Kennedy (right) at the opening, 1964

On 2 March 1964, after over 6 years of planning and protracted delays, a press conference to re-announce the centre's opening was held. [56] [57] Here, it was revealed that the centre would officially open in 4 months time – and that existing buildings were to be reconfigured to allow its new tenants. [Note 4] [58] [59] [60] Several promotional/charity events were staged at the centre in weeks leading up to the official launch, including an archery demonstration, a fundraiser display of models worth £50,000, and a Motorkhana exhibition in the car park. [61] [62] [63]

Official opening (1964)

Safeway supermarket (1964) Safeway Forest Hills opening day 1964 interior 3.jpg
Safeway supermarket (1964)

The centre was officially opened by the Mayor of Nunawading, Owen Goldsborough, at 11am, on Tuesday 30th June 1964. [64] A large bundle of balloons were released to mark the occasion. Popular entertainer Graham Kennedy, then at the peak of his fame with In Melbourne Tonight, made an appearance at the opening event. [65] [66] Some 11 thousand keen shoppers from all across Victoria were there. At the preview before the 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". The anchor stores along Canterbury Road had carborundum powder in their facades to create a sparkling effect in sunlight. [51]

McEwans hardware store (1964) McEwans Hardwar Forest Hills 1964 3.jpg
McEwans hardware store (1964)

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. [67] Television cameras from were present, but no footage of the event has surfaced. [14]

Moores department store (1964) Moores Forest Hills in 1964.jpg
Moores department store (1964)

The first Safeway-branded supermarket occupied 2275 m2, had 12 checkout points, and a staff of more than 50 assistants, making it the largest all-food supermarket in Australia [68] [69] It also had the largest self-service refrigeration installation in the country, powered by Kelvinator. [70] [71] The building had originally been purpose-built as a department store – with a Safeway reported around 11,000 people had passed through its doors on that first day, generating about £15,000 in sales revenue. [72] One executive 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. [67] The first stage opening celebrations would conclude when actress Evie Hayes toured the new centre and met with customers as part of a promotional event for Safeway in mid-July. [73]

The centre's 1,400 m2 Moores department store served about 8,000 customers on that first day, and had to order additional staff and registers from their city branches to handle the unprecedented demand. [74] Its staff of about 35 included a trained corsetmaker and a cosmetician. [75] The 1000 m2 McEwans hardware store launched with 25 staff and £45,000 worth of hardware and homewares, serving around 5000 customers on the first day. [76] [77] Due to the sloping building site, it's sales floor utilised a unique split-level layout, with highly modern Kingfisher shopfittings. [78] [79] Coinciding with the opening, the Forest Hill Traders Association was established – which for over 20 years published the Forest Hill "Trader" newspaper. [80]

Second and thirds stages (1964-69)

Coles variety store (1965) Coles Forest Hills 1965.jpg
Coles variety store (1965)

Two weeks after the highly-successful opening event, it was officially announced after much speculation that Coles would build a 930 m2 variety store at Forest Hills – anchoring the second stage of the centre's development. [81] [82] This opened in early 1965 and remained a popular store at Forest Hill for many years. [83] In September 1964, a week-long school holiday gala was held at the centre which included guest appearances from children's TV stars including: Zig and Zag (Thursday 3rd), Joff Ellen (Friday 4th), Norman Swain (Monday 7th), Gerry Gee & Ron Blaskett (Tuesday 8th) and Happy Hammond (Wednesday 9th). [84]

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." [85] 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". [86]

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. [87]

Signs at Canterbury Road (c1968) Forest Hills Shopping Centre.jpg
Signs at Canterbury Road (c1968)

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. [88] [89]

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. [90] 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. [91] 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. [92]

Aerial view (1968) Aerial view of Forest Hills shopping centre, 1968.jpg
Aerial view (1968)

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. [93] [94] 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 (2.8kms away), Australia's first Kmart at Burwood (2.4kms away), Myer's Eastland (6.1 kms away). These threatened the integrity of Forest Hill's core catchment size and warranted the centre's swift expansion. [95]

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". [96] It was later taken over by the Mac's San Remo chain before closing around July 1989. [97] [98]

Crystal Forest at Mahoneys Road, 1968 Crystal Forest 1968 2.jpg
Crystal Forest at Mahoneys Road, 1968

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. [99] It was among the most popular dining spots in Melbourne's outer-eastern suburbs, with a luxurious interior contained within a extravagant modernist facade designed by Thord Lorich. [100] The ground-floor dining area had a capacity of 100, and a large function space upstairs could hold about 300. [101] 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). [102]

Advert for Brendan Edwards, 1969

Sports centre & office building (79 Mahoneys Road)

In late 1967, architect Thord Lorich prepared the first scheme for a new sports centre at the Forest Hills Shopping Centre – a modest two-storey gymnasium and retail building. [103] By May 1968, the centre's owners formally advanced the proposal; however, the project changed dramatically when developer George Herscu requested the floor area be doubled at the last minute to allow an additional office level. [104] This unexpected expansion produced an unusually assertive and imposing structure for Forest Hill at the time, its strong horizontal roofline and deep cantilevered eaves giving it a prominent street presence. [105]

Construction began in September 1968, and three-storey complex was completed about a year later as one of the tallest commercial buildings in the area. [106] It was built "to service the needs of thousands of shoppers visiting the Forest Hills shopping centre." [107] Herscu held a particular fondness for the building and based one of his companies, Montvale Developments, in Suite 15 throughout the 1970s. Until the redevelopment of the adjacent shopping centre in 1989, several office suites also accommodated centre management. [108]

Architecturally, the building remains one of the most intact post-war commercial structures in the district. Its most striking feature is the facade of tall, rhythmic vertical window bays framed in anodised gold – recalling the crisp proportions of the Princes Gate Towers and other 1960s corporate buildings. [105] The interior retains many of Lorich's original premium finishes, including terrazzo flooring, brass balustrades, textured ceilings, decorative wall panelling, and the original Johns & Waygood traction lift. [109]

Contemporary photo of offices and former gymnasium, 2025 Contemporary photograph of former Brendan Edwards sports centre.jpg
Contemporary photo of offices and former gymnasium, 2025

The sports centre itself occupied multiple levels and offered a broad suite of facilities: a heated tiled plunge pool and spa, sauna, crèche, coffee lounge, and even an in-ground trampoline area. Its first operator, the Brendan Edwards fitness chain, charged $4 per week and became an immediate success with locals who praised its modern amenities. [110] Opening in late 1969, the centre was considered a pioneering development, effectively introducing full-scale gymnasium facilities to Victorian shopping centres. [111]

Forest Hills Theatre construction, 1967 Forest Hills Theatre construction 2.jpg
Forest Hills Theatre construction, 1967

In late 1977, local sportsman John Driver took over the lease and rebranded the operation as the John Driver Sports & Fitness Centre. Despite attracting around 4,000 members, it closed in August 1987. [112] The premises sat largely vacant until 1992, when the Lifestyle Fitness chain moved in and renovated. [113] A new chapter began in 2001 when Metro Health & Fitness leased the building and operated the Forest Hill Swim School; it folded in 2005, leaving much of the original tenancy empty. [114] [115] In 2011, the former crèche on the top level was subdivided and repurposed as the Whitehorse Community Resource Centre, while the entire ground floor was consolidated and is now occupied by Fresenius Medical Care, providing kidney dialysis services. [116] [117]

Forest Hill Theatre/Cinema (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. [118]

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 initially housed twin colour film projectors and a slide projector, was situated behind a gallery overlooking the auditorium. [105]

Forest Hill Cinema, 1980s Forest Hill Cinema.jpg
Forest Hill Cinema, 1980s
Former theatre/cinema/club entry, 2011 Forest Hills Theatre Entrance 2011 2 3.jpg
Former theatre/cinema/club entry, 2011

The opening night took place on 31 May 1968, with an entertainment programme including dancers and a screening of Otto Preminger's Hurry Sundown with music by local musician Vic Conner at the Hammond organ. [119] 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. [120]

In December 1971, the stage was turned into a makeshift ice skating rink for use in a series of specially-produced revues/pantomimes starring John McKilligan, Suzanne Hill, and Marilyn Wright. [121] Another notable event was the premier of Giorgio Mangiamele's locally-produced film Beyond Reason in May 1970. [122] The theatre's original operators, an independent company called Sherwood Productions, experienced financial and legal troubles leading to an early lease termination. The cinema re-opened by 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 took over in 1978 followed by Palace in 1980. [105] [123]

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. [124] In 1990, steak and seafood chain The Keg used the building as a temporary recruitment office. [125] By 1992, the building had been converted into a night club venue called "The Bunker" – its name being a nod to the building's unique proportions and bunker-like appearance. The venue quickly became one of the most popular clubbing venues in Melbourne's middle/outer east, but would soon close due an uprise in antisocial behaviour. [126] [127]

By popular demand, centre management worked with council officers and local police to re-open it as "Club 3131", a community-based blue light disco. This closed 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. [128]

Fourth stage (1973–76)

Artist's impression of proposed redevelopment, circa 1975 Forest Hill 1976.jpg
Artist's impression of proposed redevelopment, circa 1975

Immediately following completion of the centre's initial three-stage development plan, in 1973, Forest Hill's owners hired architect Ernest Fookes to design a $10m redevelopment of the front and rear parks. [129] After a year-long planning process, it was officially revealed that the centre's front car park would be replaced by a multi-deck parking garage, and the rear car park would be replaced by a split-level indoor shopping centre. [130] The parking garage was completed around 1975, and the indoor shopping centre officially opened on 20 July 1976. [131] [132] Safeway moved from their tenancy at Canterbury Road to a newer, purpose-built store in the lower level of the redevelopment. A Woolworths supermarket and the largest McEwans hardware store outside of the city occupied the upper level. [133]

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. [134]

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. [134] [135] 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. [136] Architects Buchan, Laird and Bawden, who were chosen to design the redevelopment, took inspiration from the St. Louis Galleria in Missouri. [137]

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. [138] 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. [139]

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. [140] The first stage of the expanded centre opened on 12 September 1989, and 113 shops were operating by July 1990. [141] The second stage of the redevelopment was officially completed by December 1990. [132] 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. [142] [143]

Alterations and additions (1993-2025)

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. [116] 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. [144] 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. [145] [146]

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. [147] 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. [148] [149] 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. [150] [151]

The opening was delayed due to several legal disputes and trouble obtaining a liquor license. [152] The space had been reserved since the redevelopment opened. [153] 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. [154] An AMF (now Zone) bowling alley with 28 lanes and children's play centre Run Riot opened on Level 3 around the year 2000. [155] 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. [156] 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. [157]

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. [158] The current seating capacities are 161 in cinemas 1, 2, 5 and 6 and 173 in cinemas 3 and 4. [159]

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. [160]

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 ]

Incidents

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Notes

  1. ↑ Poultry farmer Fredrick "Freddy" Arthur Loomes and his wife, Hilda Lillian May (Fankhauser) Loomes, were paid £59,800 for their land.
  2. ↑ Walter McLaughan's full statement as reported on Page 1 of the Nunawading Gazette, 24 October 1957: "If people could see the van-load of correspondence and plans which are associated with this project, they would understand why we've been 'under cover' for about two years.Most local people will appreciate the problems which arise in connection with a house built on an unmade road. But few people could realise the headaches which arise in a project of the magnitude of 75 shops, 44 houses, [a] theatre, halls, and all the amenities to be built here.There are continual complications as town planning, uniform building regulations and requirements of various authorities enter the picture. This has been a headache to them, too–involving almost a complete town.All the bodies connected with various plans, permits and services have given use their wholehearted co-operation and advice and we are most grateful to them.But, speaking of the reason why such projects take so long to finalise on paper, a comparatively small change can upset a whole train of planning and there have been so many £400 alterations to the plans alone that it has run into the thousands in money and weeks or months in time.We are not completely clear yet. The final constructional problem is to eliminate a 7 ft. dip in Canterbury Road–which is to be reconstructed. The 7 ft. rise will alter all the street levels, but when complete, will be of immense value to us, our neighbours, and the public."
  3. ↑ McLaughlan filed the case in 1966 on behalf of himself and two associates who worked on the project – surveyor R. G. Lee and architect W. A. Wheatland.
  4. ↑ It was also announced that modern public toilet facilities, rare for shopping centres at the time, would be built near the top of Centre Court. The block was designed by architect T. W. Saward and built at a cost of £5,000 in July/August 1964. It was removed in 1975 to make way for redevelopment of the centre.

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  186. ↑ "Teen stabbed in carpark of Forest Hill Chase shopping centre on Mahoneys Rd in Melbourne's east". 7 News. 2 January 2025.
  187. ↑ "Charges following Forest Hill stabbing". Victoria Police / Breaking News. 14 February 2025.
  188. ↑ Sciberras, Allanah (28 January 2025). "'Get out of the car': Pair shaken after attempted carjacking outside fast-food outlet". 9 News / National.

37°50′07″S145°09′45″E / 37.8354°S 145.1625°E / -37.8354; 145.1625

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