Malvern Urban Forest History
Malvern's Urban Forest occupies part of the Outer Circle Railway line which ran through Kew and Camberwell to Oakleigh late last century. Opening in 1891, the state-owned railway was originally designed to link the Gippsland railway line with Spencer Street Station, avoiding the privately-owned line from Caulfield to Flinders S reet Station; but the railway never fulfilled its potential.
When the state government bought the Caulfield to Melbourne line, the Outer-Circle's primary justification disappeared. Although Melbourne continued to expand outwards in the late 19th Century, urbanisation had not quite reached the areas of Ashburton and East Malvern through which the Outer-Circle line ran. Subsequently, the line was closed to passenger traffic in 1898. An irregular good service utilised the line, but this too was closed by 1920. The tracks remained until1940, when they were removed to provide raw materials for the manufacture of armaments.
The Waverley Station buildings at Waverley Road were demolished, however the platform embankments still remain together with track ballast which is scattered over the Urban Forest site.
This land remained vacant for many years, with the exception of some vegetable plots planted by adjoining residents.
In late 1979, Malvern City Council's newly created Beautification Committee considered the area as one with considerable potential, and suggested that Council establish an urban forest on the site. Council agreed and in early 1980 developed a concept proposal with assistance from the Victorian Forests Commission. A grant for the project was attracted from the Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation. At that time the land was reserved for a proposed main road. It took three years of intense effort by Council to obtain the support of the many necessary Government departments and agencies.
The design project for an urban forest was finally accepted in July 1983 and development commenced in October that year. 1200 native trees and shrubs were planted in random groupings around a bike and walking track. Work was carried out by Council and contract workers, five people employed by a Community Employment Program grant, local schools and community groups.
Malvern's Urban Forest was officially opened on 25 April 1985 by the then Malvern Mayor Marie Quinn, Malvern MLA Geoff Leigh and Oakleigh MLA Race Mathews. In May 1987, the Australian Bicentennial Authority granted $9000 to Council (on a dollar-for-dollar basis) for the provision of car parking and picnic facilities.
Today the Urban Forest is a crucial link for an integrated cycle path network which links the Outer-Circle Reserves through Glen Eira and Boroondara, as well as the Gardiners Creek path network which links the Yarra Valley and the Scotchmans Creek networks.
The Urban Forest's native vegetation is continuing to grow and mature, providing a pleasant, peaceful place of natural bushland in the heart of an urban environment.
For further information
Laceworks Landscape Collaborative
Malvern Urban Character Study, Malvern, City of (1989)
In the City of Stonnington's Malvern branch
Ref 71I.4Mal
Cooper, J.B. (1935)
The History of Malvern
Melbourne: Specialty Press
In the Stonnington Library, Malvern Branch,
Circ Desk 994.5
Strahan, Lynne, Private and Public Memory, A History of the City of Malvern: Hargreen Publishing, 1989.
David B. Beardsell and Bruce H. Herbert, The Outer Circle -A History of the Oakleigh to
Fairfield Railway
Malvern Council Annual Reports 1916-1942