Forest Hill College

Forest Hill College is a co-educational state secondary college in Burwood East, Victoria, Australia. It was originally established in 1970 as Burwood Heights Secondary College, later re-opening as Forest Hill College in 1990.

The 1954 Melbourne & Metropolitan Planning Scheme rezoned a large section of land in the then-rural Burwood East, paving the way for residential development. During the post-war housing boom, thousands of new residents—many of them European migrants—settled in the area.

In response to the population surge, the State Government acquired part of a former orchard off Burwood Road along Mahoneys Road to establish public education facilities. Burwood Heights Primary School opened in 1965, followed by Burwood Heights High School (now Forest Hill College) in 1969.

The original school was designed by project architect J. J. Weston and his colleges from the Public Works Department in 1969 using a standardised configuration. Similar layouts were employed at the Keilor Heights (1968), Fairhills (1973) and Highvale (1977) public schools.

Development took place across multiple stages, beginning in late 1969, and was undertaken by various contractors. The library, student centre, boiler/locker room and canteen were built by Landall-Fulton Constructions and occupied on 8th June 1970 with J. R. McLennan as principal. As enrolments expanded, portable science and general classrooms were as an interim measure before the next stage of development was completed.

By April 1974, enrolments had reached 504 students. However, due to a planning oversight, the general classroom and administrative buildings were still incomplete—only the foundations had been laid. As an interim measure, additional portables were installed until the permanent structures were finished. The school was officially completed and opened in 1975.

Reopening as Forest Hill College

In 1990, Burwood Heights merged with Nunawading High and Blackburn South High to become Forest Hill (Secondary) College. The Nunawading and Blackburn South schools were designated as junior campuses, and Burwood Heights became the senior campus. This configuration continued until the junior campuses closed by 1997 and its students were moved to the recently expanded Mahoneys Road (ex-Burwood Heights) campus; where the school remains today. This was officially opened by John Richardson on 20th October 1996.