Abandoned buildings Melbourne: Garden Sheds Galore Burwood Highway, Burwood East demolished

The wrecking ball has finally smashed through one of worst eyesores in the east, after the trashed site was left to rot for more than 10 years.

An abandoned former nursery in Burwood East, left to rot for more than 10 years, has finally been demolished.

The bulldozers moved in at the former Garden Sheds Galore and Paradise Gardens Cafe at 133-143 Burwood Highway, tearing down buildings which had been repeatedly vandalised and were suspected of being trashed by squatters.

Leader first reported on the state of the site in late 2020, and Whitehorse Council’s local laws team has since issued several orders to address graffiti issues, which the council said the landowner had complied with.

The council confirmed a building permit for demolition was issued for the site by a private building surveyor, not by the council.

There are currently no planning permits in place for the now empty site.

The former home of Garden Sheds Galore on Burwood Highway in Burwood East was an abandoned eyesore for several years. Picture: Kiel Egging.

The buildings were covered with graffiti, with windows smashed in.

The buildings on the site have now been demolished.

Only the sign remains.

Despite the condition of the site, a council spokesperson previously told Leader said the council could not order demolition without “a sound reason” under building legislation laws, which included the structure posing a risk to public safety.

Access into one of the trashed buildings appeared to be as simple as walking through a small makeshift door at the front when Leader visited at the start of this year.

Nearby neighbours had complained of people rocking up at early hours of the morning and smashing windows with bricks.

The nursery site was one of several abandoned sites in the eastern suburbs, including the former OnIt Burgers site in Ferntree Gully, at the old home of Barnacle Bills on Burwood Highway.