Lysterfield Concrete

Rowville's original "parent"

When the name Lysterfield was adopted in 1874, after land was set aside for a primary school, it covered what is now Rowville too. The area was first settled in 1838 and was mainly farming land for many decades. Lysterfield Lake was built in 1929 to supply water to the Mornington Peninsula, Springvale and Dandenong. The pine trees of the City of Knox Avenue of Honour, planted along Lysterfield Road in 1918–19, still honour First World War veterans.

Big homes, big households

Lysterfield's 2021 Census profile stands out, even in a service area full of family suburbs:

• 99.8% of occupied dwellings were separate houses, with essentially no townhouses.
• 69.9% had four or more bedrooms.
• The average household was 3.2 people, above most neighbouring suburbs.
• More than half of homes (53.2%) were owned with a mortgage, and only 7.4% were rented.

For homes like these, concrete jobs tend to be bigger and more varied (our inference from the data):

• Long or wide driveways, often with room for a caravan, boat or trailer. Concrete driveways →
• Pool surrounds and entertaining areas for families who spend summer at home. Pool surrounds →
• Shed and workshop slabs for the gear that comes with a bigger block. Shed slabs →
• Extension slabs as families add rooms rather than move. Extension slabs →

Working with slopes and levels

Lysterfield has an elevation of about 144 metres, and Lysterfield Park rises from the southern foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. Many properties have some fall across the block, though it varies a lot from street to street. On sloping sites, concreting usually goes hand in hand with:

• Retaining walls to create level pads for driveways, sheds and lawns. Concrete sleeper walls on steel posts are a common choice, and walls of 1 metre or more generally need a building permit in Victoria. Retaining walls → · Concrete sleeper walls →
• Steps and stairs linking the driveway, front door and backyard terraces. Concrete steps and stairs →
• Cut-off drains to intercept water running down the slope before it reaches the house, garage or patio.
• Grippy finishes such as broom or exposed aggregate on inclines, with anti-slip sealers where needed.

Getting concrete to the back of a big block

On larger properties, the pour location can be a long way from the street: a shed at the rear boundary, a pool behind the house, or a terrace below the driveway. Before quoting, we work out how the concrete will get there. A concrete truck can sometimes back in on an existing driveway if it's strong enough. Otherwise a line pump or boom pump places the concrete without trucks crossing lawns or new paving. Planning this early protects gardens, existing concrete and underground services such as stormwater and sewer lines. Concrete pumping →

Knox or Yarra Ranges? Check before you build a crossover

Lysterfield is split between two councils: the City of Knox and the Shire of Yarra Ranges. Your rates notice will tell you which one covers your property, and that decides which crossover process applies:

Knox part of Lysterfield: Knox requires a Road Opening Permit for any excavation in the road reserve, which includes building a vehicle crossing. The application includes a site plan showing assets such as trees, pits and drains. A council officer inspects, and Knox says approved permits are emailed within five business days.

Yarra Ranges part of Lysterfield: Yarra Ranges requires a works permit in the road reserve to construct, alter or remove a vehicle crossing, and suggests allowing 10 business days. It also notes that works on arterial roads may need a planning permit.

We'll confirm which council applies to your address and factor its process into the timeline. Council pages: Knox · Yarra Ranges

Living near the bush

Lysterfield's bushland setting is a big part of its appeal. Wikipedia records that homes in the area were threatened, though none were lost, during the February 2009 bushfires. Concrete is non-combustible, which is one reason some owners choose concrete paths and hardstand close to the house over timber decking or mulched beds. Whether particular bushfire planning or construction controls apply to your property is a question for your council or building surveyor, and we'll work to any requirements they set.

Ground conditions

We haven't found a published source describing Lysterfield's soils in detail. Research on Melbourne soils has shown that reactivity varies widely, even within one soil type. Slabs and footings should therefore follow a site classification to AS 2870 and an engineer's design where required. For driveways and paths, a well-compacted base and good drainage do most of the work.

Around Lysterfield

Lysterfield Park is the suburb's centrepiece, with the 6 km Lake Circuit Trail, around 24 km of mountain bike trails, and the State Mountain Bike Course used at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Parks Victoria notes kangaroos and wallabies are often seen in the mornings and evenings. Lysterfield Primary School is on Bellfield Drive. Neighbouring suburbs include Rowville, Ferntree Gully, Lysterfield South, Narre Warren North, Upper Ferntree Gully, Upwey, Belgrave South and Narre Warren East.