General Motors Holden - aerial photographs

Here are aerial photographs of the General Motors Holden (GMH) plant in Dandenong.  The factory opened in 1956, I don't have an exact date, even though I like to know these things. The factory was in the old Shire of Berwick and along with the neighbouring International Harvester plant and Heinz factory had an immediate impact on the area.  The factories required workers and even though a Railway Station was built for GMH and opened in the October or November of 1956, it was good if there was a pool of workers living close by, thus Doveton was established  as a suburb in 1954 by the Victorian Housing Commission. The factory also accelerated development in Hallam, Hampton Park and Cranbourne from where people could drive to work and park in the 1,000 space car park.

Aerial view of International Harvester, Heinz and General Motors Holden. 

Photographer: Charles Daniel Pratt. State Library has it dated as pre-1960. 

State Library of Victoria Image H2008.41/43. 

GMH, December 27, 1963.

General Motors Holden, 1964.  Photographer: Wolfgang Sievers. 

State Library of Victoria Image H2004.49/6  

General Motors Holden, taken January 13, 1965. 

State Library of Victoria Image H2014.1008/11. 

This was taken in 1970 and shows the Princes Highway, Kays Avenue and the factory on the right, with the Railway behind it.

Another 1970 aerial, showing  Kays Avenue and Doveton Avenue with the Princes Highway and the GMH factory.

This aerial, dated January 23, 1974, shows The GMH factory, backing onto the Railway line. The road on the right is the yet to be constructed South Gippsland Freeway (I believe that this is what the Eumemmerring by-pass continuation was called)

This is also January 23, 1974 and shows the factory to the left of the South Gippsland Freeway.

January 1978. In the four years on from the previous aerial, there has been more housing development and the South Gippsland Freeway has been constructed.

 GMH, taken January 20, 1981. GMH is shown between the Princes Highway and the Railway line. The South Gippsland Highway is at the bottom left.

May 4, 1994. GMH is at the bottom to the left. Industrial development has taken place to the right of the South Gippsland Highway.

This was taken the same day, as above (May 4, 1994) GMH is centre top. Hampton Park is on the right. The industrial Dandenong South is on the left.

This is from 1996, GMH is in the centre.