Development of a residential estate affected by landslide, Shire of Yarra Ranges

In the mid-1980s, development of a residential estate in the Shire of Yarra Ranges (SOYR), to the east of Melbourne was halted after landslides were identified near the site and a batter failed during excavation for a court bowl. In the late 1980s, SOYR commissioned Shire-wide geotechnical studies to assess and manage landslide risk. These studies indicated that parts of the estate previously quarantined from development could possibly be released for development. In 2003, SOYR commissioned further geotechnical works to assess development options. These works led to the release of parts of the estate for development.

The estate is underlain by Tertiary age Older Volcanics, an important geological unit with respect to landslide in eastern Melbourne. This case study outlines the risk assessment (to AGS 2000 guidelines) undertaken following the 2003 geotechnical investigation, along with relevant background information including the landslide history of the site, SOYR planning controls and the general landslide characteristics of the Older Volcanics geological unit.