Mount Dandenong Observatory.

The Mount Dandenong Observatory Reserve, and the nearby TV Towers, are important landmarks for metropolitan Melbourne.

The summit of Mount Corhanwarrabul at 2077 feet is the highest peak in the Dandenong Ranges and has attracted tourists for over a century who are drawn by the superb views of the city.

In the 1860s, the summit was marked with a survey trig point for the Victorian Geodetic Survey.

The main road was constructed in 1935 for motor traffic which made the summit accessible for visitors. Early facilities included a large carpark and a “camera obscura”, which was removed in the late 1960s. A timber tea-room and cafe was later built.

A new observatory with the popular Sky-High restaurant was designed by prominent Melbourne architect, James Dale Fisher, and was completed in 1971. The site was managed under a licence arrangement with the Forests Commission.

The gardens were maintained by local FCV crews along with  the Nicholas Gardens, William Rickets Reserve, and both the Olinda and Mt Dandenong Arboretums.

The nearby Mount Dandenong Arboretum was set aside in 1928 to establish an arboretum of national significance featuring conifers and deciduous trees. The collection includes spectacular trees from around the world including eight that are listed in the National Trust’s significant tree register.

But in the 1990s, the Sky-High restaurant fell into disrepair and the building began to look aged and dilapidated. This culminated with the site being shut down completely in 1997. Antisocial behaviour in the evenings also led to the closure of the carpark, much to the disappointment of countless canoodling couples.

But in 2004, a new lease was negotiated with Parks Victoria which saw the restaurant and surrounding gardens given a $3.5 million facelift.