Dandenong South Primary School, 1963.

The school opened in 1961, after pressure mounted for a number of previous years due to increasing student numbers at the main school in Dandenong.

Photo supplied by: Kay McCaul‎

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Parade, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1959.

A parade for the proclamation of the City of Dandenong in 1959, it does capture a wonderful moment and reminds us of the spirit which people once embraced this lovely town of ours.

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R.S.L. (Westwood), 70 Walker Street, Dandenong, December 1988

Slowly reaching the end of time it had remaining, the RSL (formerly westwood) would in a number of years be removed along with other buildings, presently this site sits under the Plaza carpark.

Back in November 1953, the Dandenong RSL started using, for the first time, their new clubrooms at Westwood for monthly meetings on Friday nights. Before this meeting were held in Rest Hut at the corner of Langhorne and Walker Streets.

Photo supplied by; Greg Pedler‎
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Walker Street, Dandenong, 1977.

Looking up Walker Street towards where the Plaza now stands. After Myers was built but before the telephone exchange was extended/rebuilt higher blocking the view of Myers carpark. This is from a postcard and is dated 30/04/1977 by the sender, so we can assume it is from similar time.

Myer originally opened in Dandenong on November 4, 1974 as a four-level, standalone department store, with the Capital Centre opening in 1989. In the 1990's the Dandenong Plaza development, joining Myer to the Capital Centre, saw Myer reduce from four to three levels.

In late 2013, Myer closed it's store in Dandenong, leaving the space to be fully renovated into the Dandenong Plaza. Target now occupies the former ground floor opening into Dandenong Plaza. with varying other stores including Aldi occupying the upper floors.

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Kendalls Dairy, Corner Robinson and Rodd Streets, Dandenong, undated.

Who remembers the old dairy on corner of Robinson and Rodd Streets, it was later occupied by an engraving business in early 1960s, before it was pulled down to make room for flats.

Image supplied by: Hans Van Dyk

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Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, April 1978.

This view of Lonsdale Street shows the former Woolworths and Coles Variety Stores, in their original locations. Taken in front of the Town Hall on the corner of Walker Street.

Woolworths first moved opposite the Market, , after the takeover of Safeway, woo;worth was re-branded as Safeway in Victoria, this saw the closure of the Clow Street store, in recent years Safeway store were re-branded as Woolworth.. Coles moved to it's present Highway location, opening a second store in the Dandenong Plaza.

This photo was shared by Anneke Pereboom-Veldman

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Cheney, 15-23 Langhorne Street, Dandenong, undated.

Cheney once stood where the Dandenong Hub arcade now stands in Langhorne Street, opposite the Post Office. Later the business would merge with Patterson Motors to form the present business. The local Cheney was opened in 1949 at temporary premises in Pultney Street, later (by 1950) moving to this location in Langhorne Street.

Cheney was originally founded by Sydney Albert Cheney), car salesman, born on 22 March 1883 at Smithfield, South Australia, fifth son of Samuel Cheney, labourer, and his wife Mary Ann, née Goodger.

In 1920 Cheney decided to take up a Chevrolet agency, left his Adelaide company and founded S. A. Cheney Pty Ltd in Melbourne; he soon climbed Mount Buffalo in thirty-seven minutes in top gear to demonstrate what a Chevrolet could do. In 1922 in South Melbourne he set up the first assembly line in the Australian motor industry. However, when General Motors themselves opened assembly works in 1926, Cheney switched to selling Austin and Morris cars, launched an advertising campaign to 'Buy British and be proud of it!', and persuaded William Morris (Lord Nuffield) to visit Australia to see why his cars were unsuited to local conditions.

Early in the Depression, after successful efforts to place his employees elsewhere, Cheney closed down his business in good order, and had a year's holiday. He then began selling used cars and in 1932 took an agency for Vauxhall cars and Bedford trucks, which he continued until the late 1950s when he finally took a Holden agency. He had also operated Sanderson & Cheney Pty Ltd as a large service station enterprise. During World War II he was active, with governmental support, in promoting gas-producers and charcoal production. In Adelaide in 1965 he published his autobiography From Horse to Horsepower.

Photo supplied by  Stuart Jordan

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Dandenong Railway Station - pre 1922

Dandenong Railway Station - pre 1922

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Steam Turntable, Dandenong Station, undated.

The Dandenong steam loco turntable and sheds were located on the former site of the Southern Aurora Hotel, Which now forms part of the Bus interchange and the adjacent carpark. The old signal box can bee seen in the background, which has also been removed.

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Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1971.

The favoured West side of Lonsdale street in 1971, Back before the controversy of the Plaza, Retailers preferred the western side of Dandenong, the East side remained full of houses very close to the main road until progressive attempts were made to change this, resulting ultimately in the failure of the West side as retailers jostled for proximity to the Plaza, Recent attempts have tried to correct the long term affects of this.

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Dandenong Plaza, 1990s

We're not sure of the date, But check out the Palm Trees in the Dandenong Plaza, The lower food court was still in full action, before being moved closer to the exit doors.

Can you date this photo?

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Mayfair, 170 Thomas Street, Dandenong, undated.

This is the Mayfair Cinema (previously called The Boomerang) that used to be at 170 Thomas Street, Dandenong (where the old Target store later stood, and the new Council Buildings/Library now stand.
It first opened in 1924 as The Boomerang, and was renamed The Mayfair in 1951.

My Dad took the original photo (this is a photo of that). He started work there as an Assistant Projectionist when he was 16 (1950) and went on to show movies at various Cinemas & Drive-Ins until his mid-60s.

Photo by; R. Trewin
Supplied by; Terri Trewin


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Hades Hot Bread, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1960s.

Hades was a favourite of many locals and has remained as a fond memory. Facing onto Lonsdale street, Hades fared better than Hannahs, which was down the alley. Do you remember eating freshly made food from Hades?

Picture courtesy of D.D.H.S.


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Dandenong Girls' High School, 23 Ann Street, Dandenong, undated.

The old Dandenong Girls High School, initially situated at the former site of the Eclarte tweed mill on Princes Highway, was built as a girls high school in 1957 with the motto, Above Renown, and the Olympic Torch as its logo. Later the school would include boys and be renamed to Cleeland Secondary College.

In 2007 Cleeland Secondary College along with Doveton Secondary College merged with the nearby Dandenong High School to form one school based at the Dandenong High School and Cleeland Secondary College locations.

The school was also known as Dandenong Girl's Secondary School and Dandenong North High School at various times in it's history.

Thank you Colleen Duggan-Bailey for providing this image

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Sound Shell, Dandenong Park, undated.

The Sound Shell structure was constructed at Dandenong Park in 1967, after some strong lobbying by the Dandenong R.S.L and Citizens Band. In 1964 the band was invited to present a deputation to the Public Works Committee to express their concerns about accommodation at the old Memorial Hall, where they stored their instruments and practiced. They presented adeputation to the Council in January 1965. In May 1965 the Council decided to build a concert auditorium in the Dandenong Park to cater for community groups such as the Dandenong R.S.L. and the Citizens Band.

In February 1966 the Public Works Committee assigned the design and development of the sound shell (with public toilets and a band room) to Alsop and Duncan P/L with a note or condition that the council would decide on the location and approximate area for the structure. The location was at the rear of the bowling club with the shell fronting Foster Street and conveniently situated between two paths forming a triangle.

In April 1967 the architects Alsop and Duncan P/L submitted working drawings and specifications for ‘A Sound Shell, Conveniences etc at the Dandenong Park’ to Council and called for tenders that closed on the 18th May 1967. Tender documents described the location of the sound shell as follows:
“...in front of the large cypress tree which borders along the
western side of the Croquet Lawn and is sited so that only one
tree in the Park, which can be replanted will be interfered with.”

The sound shell and toilets were intended to replace two antiquated toilets, which were causing so much concern due to dilapidation. The plans were shown to the community and on 8 May the council recommended that the plan be adopted as there had been no objection from the public and the work could be carried out under the supervision of the design architect.

In June 1967 the tender of Ajax Contractors for $21,585 was accepted, following a recommendation from the architects, and the shell was constructed as a brick, steel and concrete structure. The estimated cost of the works, including architects’ fees, was $22,000. The opening of the sound shell on the 5th November 1967 was marked by an outdoor Catholic Mass celebrated by five priests, two of whom representing missionaries of the Sacred Heart Movement. It was to be the first outdoor mass ever celebrated in Dandenong. Father O’Donnell, parish priest of St Mary’s, Dandenong, presided at the mass.

After all of the lobbying and eventual success in having the shell built, the R.S.L. and Citizens Band were denied full access to it for practice sessions and storage. Council’s time restrictions (one night per week only and no use between 12pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday) were not satisfactory to the band. Nevertheless, after long negotiations between the band and the council, the band became a regular user of the shell. Other users of the auditorium were Carols by Candlelight, Dandenong Assembly of God, St Mary’s Parish, Salvation Army, Australia Day Committee and other community groups.

On the 5 June 1988 the sound shell was named after Mr Stan Prior, a Dandenong identity and the city’s oldest practicing band man. Stan was born in South Melbourne on 19 July 1890 and went to school at Eastern Rd Primary School in South Melbourne. His 100th birthday was celebrated by the community of Dandenong and hosted by the Mayor Cr B. J. Powell in the Dandenong Town Hall on 22 July 1990. Mr Prior played the cornet with the City of Dandenong Band until he died in August 1992. By the end he was more of a mascot than a musician but his great age and his status as a veteran of two world wars meant he was a household name in Dandenong. He loved visiting the local nursing homes to play music for the old folk.

As part of the master plan to revitalize the Dandenong Park precinct, the stage was demolished in late June 2016, along with the Bowling Club, Croquet Club and Kindergarten located within the surrounding area. The intent to build a boulevard path and redesign the gardens within the park required removal of all existing structures.

Demolition, June 28th-29th, 2016.

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Southern Aurora Hotel , Dandenong Station, 1991.

Southern Aurora Hotel 1991, Built in the mid 1960s, on the site of the former steam-loco turntable, it was demolished during the 1990's, The space is now part of the bus interchange and carparking adjacent. The Southern Aurora continued operation until around 1991. In May 1993, the Hotel was demolished as stage 1 of works to redesign the station, with the new Train Station building being opened in 1995. The site if the Hotel was turned into a carpark, which still remains presently. At some point during the late 1990s, the pedestrian subway was filled in.

Southern Aurora Hotel , Dandenong Station, 1991.

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Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1979.

Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1979.

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Tin Shed, 18 Scott Street, Dandenong, undated

Most recently, before demolition, being occupied by Raux & Sons and known as the Tin Shed. It was owned by two well-known Dandenong identities, E. P Walker and P. V. McQuade. A rate book search has revealed that between 1917 and 1925 allotment 18/20 was owned by P. McQuade (Licensed victualler) when there were a garage and stables on a 66 foot frontage. 

These photos were kindly supplied by Kelly Baker Bennett, she writes 

"Hi, I thought I would send you a couple of old photos my mother-in-law has of the tin shed in Dandenong. 

Her name is Kathy Bennett, and her father in-law owned it his name was Vic Bennett."

Max Oldmeadow speculated that this may have been where McQuade, who was licensee of the Albion Hotel round the corner on Lonsdale Street, provided accommodation for hotel guest’s horses and cars.  McQuade left his mark with the naming of McQuade Lane, running off Scott Street, which almost meets the back of the Albion Hotel.

Blocks 22-24 were owned by E. P. Walker. The land had a house, bakehouse and outbuildings on a 100 ft frontage. He had various tenants, usually women, and apparently never lived there himself.     Edward Percy Walker was born at Echuca and with his father owned a chain of stores at Tooradin, Lang Lang and Dandenong.

In February 1910, he paid £22 per foot for his property at the corner of Scott and Lonsdale Streets where he established a well-known corrugated iron grain store. He ran his hay and corn business for many years and gave the site the name by which it is still known, ‘the Old Tin Shed’.

In 1931, the rate books become vague about the site and Scott Street was rated as belonging to the Electricity Commission who had 8.5 acres. In 1925, the Electricity Commission had number 16 as a house for a linesman. In 1957, 18-20 and 22-24 were occupied by and used as a garage belonging to Central Motors.

By more recent times, before demolition, being occupied by Raux & Sons, these two gabled single-story buildings had timber frames, horizontally fixed corrugated iron wall cladding (some red Lysaght Orb), some weatherboard cladding to the front gables of both and corrugated iron roofing.

A red brick wing appears to have been added in front of the western building (22-24), sometime in the inter-war period. The interior was still partly unlined; there were timber ledge & braced doors across the

eastern building’s entry (18-20); and some early brick flooring (possibly the stable area?).

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Princes Highway, Dandenong South, 1969.

On the left is the former G.M.H. plant, further down the highway, towards Dandenong, the former Heinz and International Harvester plants completed the big three. Manufacturing saw a boom in Dandenong during this period.

The entrance from the Gippsland side of Dandenong was marked by these manufacturing giants with smaller local industry filling in the gaps. Sadly G.M.H. and Heinz have moved on, with International Harvester becoming IVECO, which still operates from the same site.

The Shell service station on the left was run by the Harnn family in 1969. The block on the other side was the lower paddock of the Lyuellen family farm. This photo was likely taken opposite the entry to the old clay quarry which became the present entry point to the freeway in the 1970s.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY: Penny Harris Jennings‎

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Armytage Own, First Dandenong Scout Hall, 61 Princes Highway, Dandenong, undated.

The First Dandenong Scout Group (Armytage's Own) was formed in March 1928 by Mr Ted Swords, the first scout master. Apparently, a prior group existed for some time in 1917, before their scout master was sent off to serve in the A. I. F. The scout troop called themselves Armytage's Own, as a tribute to Miss Ada Armytage of Holm Park, Beaconsfield (her country house) and Como House, South Yarra.

During the Second World War, the scout hall and the park, which must have been partially cleared, was used by the American Armed Forces as a hospital base, associated with their encampment at Rowville. The hall was partitioned, and servicemen were treated in the hall and five other huts erected around it. After the War the High School utilized the hospital huts as classrooms, gymnasium and for school social functions. All but one of the huts were later moved across the road to the school grounds. The wider community also made good use of the hall for meetings, dances, exhibitions and community events.


 Chris Simmins writes: 

Old Dandenong local ,Mr Alan Trounson, tells me that the original Dandenong rubbish tip for the township was located at the back of Hemmings Park. Also, the Australian Army Recuperation Camp Hospital No 21 was based at Hemmings Park. 

In relation to the Armytage building, this snippet via Trove... Australian Woman's Weekly 26 Jan 1935 p23. DANDENONG Scouts have a fairy godmother. She is Miss Ada Armytage, of Como, South Yarra, and Holm Park, Beaconsfield, after whom the 1st Dandenong Group is called. 'Armytage's Own' She has always been interested in their movement and was largely instrumental in building the Scout Hall on the Princes Highway at Dandenong. She wears 'The Gold Thanks' badge. 

Though the hall has been built four years, the foundation-stone was laid during the recent jamboree in the presence of more than a hundred Scouts of 29 nationalities. Miss Armytage was the founder of the 'Pass It On Club' and has always been busy with philanthropic work. Early in 1914 she had innumerable tiny Belgian flags made and sold them in aid of the Belgians, and out of her charming idea grew the 'flag days', and later, the 'button days', that raised such huge sums during the war. 

Miss Armytage, who was born at Fulham, Balmoral, had an aboriginal nurse, a daughter of the king of the tribe at Fulham, and the old queen remembered the landing of the first white men. When the white men asked, "What is that animal jumping about?" the king answered, "Kan ga roo,"...meaning... "I do not know what you say" and, according to the story Miss Armytage heard, that is how the kangaroo got its name.


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Peninsula Ambulance Service, Stud Road, Dandenong, 1964.

The old ambulance station, pictured here, was replaced by the new Ambulance Victoria Dandenong station in about 2020. The new building being built to the right of this one, on Stud Road. The site of this building on the corner is now the car park, after it was demolished.

Peninsula Ambulance Service, Stud Road, Dandenong, 1964.

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Shepley Oval, Pultney Street, Dandenong, 1950s

This simple looking oval would be transformed into Dandenong's premier sporting venue. The creek behind still ran close to its original path, before being realigned. The old McCrae street bridge can be seen up the back.

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Dandenong Hospital, David Street, Dandenong, 1968.

This was the construction of one of the three new buildings which would form the core of the larger/new hospital.

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Corner of Walker and Langhorne Streets, Dandenong, between 1866-1878.

Ellis's store is the brick building standing proudly on the corner, with modifications this building became the Wessex and operated into the 1950's and 1960's before being replace with the present 5 floor building. McLennan Real Estate presently occupies the corner shop at ground level.

Along side an be seen Jones's New Dandenong Bakery, although not much is known about Jones or his bakery, the site, with a new building which still stands today, would later become home to Mags, and ironmonger. Presently this site is home to the Dandenong Laundry & Dry Cleaners.

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Funeral Procession by Garnar Undertakers, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, undated.

Garnars Undertakers – a prominent Dandenong funeral business in Walker St, Dandenong - was owned and operated by James William Garner (1851-1913) and featured a mortuary in Crump Lane.
Garnar himself would often lead the funeral processions through town.

After his death in 1913, James Garner’s eldest son, William, and his grandson Len, took over the business, changing its name to W.J. Garnar & Son. William Garner was known for leading funeral possessions (on foot) along Lonsdale Street (as pictured).

In the 1930s, a severe flood hit the streets of Dandenong – and when Garnar opened his flood effected mortuary he discovered that two coffins, one empty and one occupied, had been swept away. They were later recovered from the creek in Mordialloc.
Although the family name was spelled ‘Garner’, James altered it to ‘Garnar’ in order to distinguish himself from other people associated with the ‘Garner’ spelling. The W.J. Garnar & Son business was sold to Le Pine Funerals in 1950. Garnar Lane in Dandenong is named after the family.

Image and information courtesy of:
Greater Dandenong City Council
http://www.facebook.com/greaterdandenong

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Produce Market, Corner Cleeland and Clow Streets, Dandenong, 1974.

Produce Market, Corner Cleeland and Clow Streets, Dandenong, 1974.

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Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, March, 1959

Up the left you can see the old Maples store, Long after Maples left there was a fire in the store, Due to extensive damage it was demolished and became a small park between Lonsdale street and Palm Plaza/McCrae street.

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Aerial shot of Sandown Park, 1945-2010s

The area to the north side of the railway line was owned by William C. Cullen, a Brighton publican who had used the area for horse races from December 1888. He was encouraged by horse racing enthusiasts to lay out a saddling paddock and grandstand enclosure as planting flower beds and trees.

He called it Oakleigh Park. In 1888 tenders were called by Richard Speight for the construction of a wooden grandstand called Springvale Racecourse but this has since been demolished. The total racecourse area was 134 acres with the remaining acreage left for grazing.

In 1891 the course was leased to Samuel Willis, David Boyd and Charles Heape, who ran the Victorian Trotting Club, for the cost of £20,000. This course was to be used as their meeting place after their lease at Elsternwick Park had expired. They renamed it Sandown Park, after the fashionable racecourse adjoining the railway station of Esher, about 15 miles south west of London, in Surrey England. They retained the lease of the course until 1932.

The Sandown course consisted of a racing course of almost 12 furlongs and a steeplechase course of almost two miles. The spectators watched from two stands tiered in ramps; one could hold 500 and the other 2000 people.

In the late 1920s, the Select Committee investigating Victoria’s races and racecourses decided that privately run clubs run for profits should be closed. Sandown Park had been managed by Michael Patrick Considine since 1895 and the children of the late Henry Skinner for a 20% profit. In April 1929, the owners thought they should try to sell the course but it was passed in at £65,000 and they decided to lease the site for grazing. Sandown closed in May 1931.

In 1934 the Springvale and District Coursing Club was encouraged by a few locals to organise some races. Roy Maidmont of the National Coursing Club organised the Sandown Greyhound Racing and Coursing Club, leasing the racecourse for £150 a year. They sought to obtain a licence to organise formal speed coursing but their plans were temporarily delayed when in 1942, the Government took over Sandown Park for army training and all coursing racing was stopped.

In 1944, the Sandown Coursing Club began to race at Sandown but, in 1947, their plans had to be shelved again when they had to seek another meeting venue. The course was advertised for sale but the Coursing Club was unable to raise sufficient funds. The Victorian Trotting and Racing Association in association with the Williamstown Racing Club (with whom they had amalgamated to form the Melbourne Racing Club) bought the course for £41,000.

In 1950 the course was cleared of all trees to make space for a motor racing track. In July 1957 a contract for £154,000 was let for the construction of the new track. In 1959 a total of £400,000 was spent on the construction and grassing of the race track drainage, fencing, water mains, levelling and filling, provision of running rails and on other improvements.

In 1962 the motor racing track was officially opened by Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Bob Stillwell. In 1963 the Melbourne Racing Club merged with the Victorian Amateur Turf Club (VATC) to facilitate the opening of new horse racing facilities. The racecourse was designed by Mr H. J Wagstaff, a track engineer, it had two straight runs and two turns at each end, 9 furlongs and four chains long. To lengthen this for different races there were legs or ‘chutes’ leading into the oval track. It was also about this time that a new grandstand was required to meet the increasing patronage of the course.

The new grandstand was cantilevered to provide an unrestricted view, bars, totalisator windows, dining rooms and most services undercover. In 1965, an overpass, opened by Cr F. Wachter of the Springvale Council, was constructed to facilitate access to the course. Its use was restricted to days of horse or motor racing. It was financed by the Victorian Amateur Turf Club and built by the Country Roads Board for £90,000. The site was designed to accommodate 12,000 cars with room for expansion and a train station was built on the railway side of the property to cater for rail travellers.

The new VATC Sandown Racecourse was opened by the Victorian Premier, Mr Henry Bolte on 19 June 1965. The Sandown Racecourse has a close association with the Sandown Cup, originally known as the Williamstown Cup, which was first run in 1888 and staged in Williamstown until 1936. Flemington became its host from 1940 to 1950 and Caulfield from 1951 to 1964. In 1965, when the new Sandown
track was opened the race was renamed the Sandown Cup.

In March 1999 the VATC proposed to re-vamp the Sandown Cup, including a name change to Sandown Classic and the introduction of weight-for-age conditions (replacing handicap conditions). In 1997, an Equine Quarantine Centre was used for the first time and, in 1999, the racecourse was renovated and reopened on the 10 October.

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Train Station, Foster Street, Dandenong, 1970s

Looking across some of the old station buildings towards the Southern Aurora hotel, This wonderful colour photo gives an eye catching glimpse into the area. Looking a little run down at this point.

A few new hotels appeared in more modern times. The Southern Hotel-Motel was built in the 1960s,next to the Dandenong Railway station,at an estimated cost of half-a million dollars. Strategically placed to capture the passing trade, it was later remembered for its nightclub atmosphere. In the mid 1990s,just before the new railway station was built, it was demolished, except for the drive-in Foster Street Bottle Shop.

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Town Hall, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, undated.

There were poets in Dandenong in the very early times, and from an old “Journal” the following writing was taken. The author was at one time likely the licensee of Dunn’s Hotel, as the name fits in with several incidents connected with the friendly intercourse between the police and the publicans, when food, etc., was scarce, and in a neighbourly fashion they borrowed from each other.

"A township sweet and beautiful,
With homes pretty and neat;
Gardens decked with flowers rare,
And clean in every street.

With hills each side where we look,
Close by ranges rising high;
A running brook, so clear, so clear,
Continuously running by.

Where a forest large and wild once stood,
Where the black man lived for years;
Where the kangaroo so oft’ was killed,
With the long and pointed spears.

Where corrobboree so oft’ was held.
Around the blazing pile;
Where, when in battle stealthy crept,
The warriors in single file.

The white man camped long, long ago,
And Dunbar with the natives laid
A consultation with the then great men,
When he taught them good from bad.

Where children were kidnapped from homes,
But now all these have gone;
And reminding us of the days of yore,
Stands the township — Dandenong!"

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