Abandoned Melbourne eyesores in Frankston, Ferntree Gully, Burwood and more
Whether it’s old restaurants, offices, nurseries or failed projects – abandoned buildings continue to blight our suburbs. Here are some of the worst near you.
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They’ve been standing for several years and are decked out with countless graffiti tags, broken windows and other debris.
Whether its old offices, nurseries and fast food joints, school sites, factories or failed projects, abandoned buildings across Melbourne have become alleged squatter and crime havens and continue to drag down our neighbourhoods and cause nightmares for neighbours.
Three of the worst in Melbourne, particularly in Melbourne’s east, are located in different suburbs along Burwood Highway.
Here’s a list of some of the most run-down, ugly abandoned sites in our suburbs, which have either been demolished or are in need of one hell of a clean-up.
GARDEN SHEDS GALORE NURSERY
Burwood Highway, Burwood
It’s been more than 10 years since Garage Sheds Galore moved out of their base on Burwood Highway – and Whitehorse Council has been unable to order demolition at the site.
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 complained of people rocking up at early hours of the morning and smashing windows with bricks.
A council spokesman said there were “limited opportunities for council to influence the way private land like this is maintained and managed.”
ONIT BURGERS
Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully
This Ferntree Gully burger joint, at the old home of Barnacle Bills, was a big hit with local fast food lovers and even won an award from MenuLog in the couple of years it was open.
But somewhere along the way, things turned pear-shaped and OnIt closed in mysterious circumstances in mid-2020.
It’s now a sad, boarded up, fenced off and trash-filled heap with lots of overgrown grass.
Several people also dumped clothes and household items there in 2021 after charity bins were placed on site.
A ‘for sale’ sign has been sitting for quite some time out the front – and the 200sq m block is still on the market according to realcommerical.com.au
ARRB OFFICES
Burwood Highway, Vermont South
The former offices for the Australian Research Roads Board, not far from Vermont South Shopping Centre, have been abandoned since 2017 and suspected of housing squatters.
Part of the building collapsed after a fire ripped through the disused building and caused significant damage in March 2021.
The structure was still standing with graffiti and broken windows, and a suspected makeshift shelter was visible when Leader visited this week.
Site owner Dandenong Views Pty Ltd is planning an eventual housing estate development with room for 294 dwellings, and Whitehorse Council took the first step toward progressing the application by rezoning the land in December 2021.
The plans included a six-storey apartment complex and several rows of townhouses.
No recent amendments have been submitted according to the council’s planning register.
HAYS INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
Hay St, Box Hill South
This former base for the Hays International College had caused years of nightmares for residents due to squatters taking shelter in its old boarding house.
There were multiple fires over the years after the site became abandoned in 2018, and the amount of vandalism and damage was something to behold.
Thankfully for nearby residents, not too long after another fire broke out early last year, the wrecking balls finally come in and the site was cleared.
Developer Golden Age bought the site in 2020, and is set to open a small display office for its planned $67.9m Wembley Hill housing estate project.
It is tipped to feature 147 townhouses, a wetlands on the banks of Gardiners’ Creek and a public park.
BERKELEY RETIREMENT VILLAGE
Gladesville Blvd, Patterson Lakes
This former retirement village shut down in 2017 due to safety fears and staff allegedly not being paid, and has been arguably the biggest blight on pristine Paterson Lakes ever since.
Neighbours have previously described the site as a “ghetto” and a “cesspool of crime” as it deteriorated over the years with squatters running amok.
Graffiti tags are all over the walls and burnt out cars have been left to rust.
The eyesore has also burnt a hole in Kingston Council’s coffers, after it was forced to spend $100,000 last year on fencing and boarding up access points in an effort to keep the site safe.
It has been pushing for Consumer Affairs Victoria to try and take over the privately owned site so the ugly remains can be demolished.
CAV is also considering Supreme Court action to try and recoup thousands of dollars of entitlements for ex-residents who were left out of pocket when the village closed.
OLD SANITARIUM FACTORY
Main St, Warburton
Formerly home to the factory where one of Australia’s favourite breakfast cereals was made (Weet Bix), this historic, heritage-listed site in Warburton has been vacant for almost a quarter of a century.
It was set to be transformed for a $50m spa resort project back in 2016, but the plans were caught up in red tape and were scrapped.
Building owners The Crockett Group were in discussions with Yarra Ranges Council mid-last year over ways to restore the site.
It came after footage emerged of the trashed interior of the building, which forced the council to undertake various security works to keep the site safe and prevent further damage.
FAILED BELLENDEN APARTMENTS
Ferntree Gully Rd, Wheelers Hill
This failed housing project is still standing unfinished near the Wheelers Hill pub after one of the parties involved in the project allegedly ran into money trouble.
It was set to include 106 dwellings including 52 apartments and 54 townhouses.
Details of the project are still available on developer Ouson’s website, which had an anticipated completion date of mid-2020.
Construction suddenly stopped in early 2021 and there’s been no action on site since.
The most recent update from Monash Council, in June 2021, stated that the planning permit for the site allowed construction to be completed no later than September 22, 2023.
FRANKSTON RETAIL ARCADE
433 Nepean Highway, Frankston
A derelict Frankston mall that has been empty for years was reported to the RSPCA after becoming a “death trap” for wild birds.
The shuttered retail arcade runs between Nepean Highway and Keys Street and is privately owned.
In August 2022 worried wildlife carers lodged an animal cruelty report with the RSPCA after seeing distressed and dying seagulls through windows.
Wildlife Victoria visited the site several times and tried to gain access to the 433 Nepean Highway building.
Frankston Council also visited the site but said because the building was privately owned, could not intervene.
The authority could not act because it does not manage complaints about wildlife.
When Leader visited the site last week the sliding doors at the Nepean Highway frontage appeared to have been forced open a few inches and small holes had also been punched into one wall.
There were no birds visible inside.
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