Our History

Our History

Backed by the Dennis family's proud history, the Dennis Family Corporation is committed to helping families achieve the dream of owning their own home.

Affordability and practicality coupled with contemporary, stylish design are the secrets to the success of the communities we develop and the homes we build.

The following is a timeline of the past 50 years:

1960

• Bert Dennis established a civil engineering consultancy in Melbourne with a partner.

1965

• Bert, with his wife Dawn, purchased the company outright and during the late 1960s they embarked on their first small-scale land developments around Victoria.

1970s

• Bert and Dawn invested in broad acres of land in Melbourne's west, with plans for major residential land development. Following the success of this idea, the Dennis family moved its focus to residential development and property investment.

1980s

• The company established Triline which soon became a highly respected building company.
• The Seabrook Estate, at Point Cook in Melbourne's west, commenced and the estate was ultimately subdivided into 600 lots.
• Land in Wyndham Vale which would eventually become the 7000 lot Manor Lakes estate was purchased.
• During the late 1980s and early 1990s the company gained control of a number of land parcels in south-east Queensland (Bergins Rise, Bay Gardens, Country Crescent, Caloundra and Ferny Grove), which were later developed into housing estates.
• At the same time in Victoria, work began on the Ormond Rise estate in Hampton Park and Eynesbury in Hoppers Crossing.

1990s

• The company established a new housing brand Glenbrae, specifically tailored to the special needs of first home buyers.
• The prestigious Executive Homes brand was acquired.
• The Dennis family made their first international foray with the opening of an office in Nanjing, China.
• Development work began of the first stage of the 190 hectare Burnside estate in Melbourne's west.
• The company began exporting homes in containers from Brisbane to Auckland, New Zealand
• Other major estate projects began including Deloraine, in Melbourne's west, and Harwood in Melbourne's south-east.

2000

• The Dennis Family Corporation was incorporated and the company developed a set of values which reflect the company's vision as a family-owned and run operation:
  
  
• Honesty & Integrity
• Passion
• Caring
• Vision
• Quality
• Development commenced at The Hunt Club in Cranbourne, at Cedar Valley in Queensland and at Manor Lakes in Wyndham Vale.

2001

• Rose Grange in Tarneit, in Melbourne's west, opened.
• The Dennis Family Corporation was award the prestigious Family Business of the Year (2nd Generation) from Family Business Australia.

2002

• Manor Lakes, in Wyndham Vale, in Melbourne's west, was officially opened.
• The Hunt Club won a UDIA Excellence Award for Best Residential Development of 400 lots or more.

2003

• Bert's outstanding service to the Australian housing industry was acknowledged by the HIA when he was awarded the Sir Phillip Lynch Award.
• The Burnside Shopping Centre at Burnside in Melbourne's west opened.

2004

• A joint venture was formed with the Zig Inge Group to build retirement villages.
• Northquarter, in Queensland, was launched.
• Rose Grange won a UDIA Excellence Award for Best Residential Development 250 lots or more.
• The three housing brands (Triline, Glenbrae and Executive Homes) were consolidated to create Dennis Family Homes.

2005

• Construction commenced on Manor Lakes Central Shopping Centre at Manor Lakes in Wyndham Vale.
• Construction also commenced at Morningside, a boutique development in Gisborne, north of Melbourne.

2006

• The Hunt Club became the first residential community in Victoria to directly supply residents' homes with Class A recycled water for use in non-drinking applications.
• The Hunt Club won the UDIA (Vic) Environmental Excellence award for that year.
• Manor Lakes Central Shopping Centre opened.

2007

• The Generations Series by Dennis Family Homes was lauched.
• Morningside won the UDIA (Vic) Judges Landscaping Award.
• Hunters Green Retirement Village at The Hunt Club opened.

2008

• The Aspirations Series from Dennis Family Homes was launched.
• The massive The Hunt Club Wetlands at The Hunt Club were officially opened.
• The Baden Powell Prep - 9 College at Rose Grange opened.

2009

• Two schools opened at Manor Lakes - Manor Lakes P-12 College and Our Lady of the Southern Cross Catholic Primary School.
• Dennis Family Homes introduced the new Generations Series as well as expanding the Aspirations Series of homes.
• Jump Living, providing newly completed homes, was launched.
• The Rose Grange Retirement Village at Rose Grange opened.

2010

• 2010 was a milestone year for the Dennis family, with a number of special celebrations proudly marking 50 years of contribution to the property industry by family patriarch Bert Dennis.
• Display village opens at Manor Lakes.
• Dennis Family Corporation enters into an agreement with the Hatia Property Group to project manage the development of two residential land estates in Queensland, south of Brisbane - Huntington Rise at Maudsland and Pioneer Valley at Kuraby.
• Construction at Huntington Rise commences.
• Final lot is sold at Morningside estate in Gisborne.
• Bert Dennis receives Richard J. Evans Award from the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association in recognition of his outstanding contribution to planning in Victoria.
• Construction commences on the Northquarter Place townhouse development in Queensland at Murrumba Downs, north of Brisbane.
• Dennis Family Homes is named as Victoria's fourth largest residential builder for 2009/10 in the HIA-Colorbond Steel Housing 100 report.
• The first sod is turned at a commercial site in Burnside, at which one of Australia's first Masters home improvement stores is to be constructed.

2011

• Grant Dennis awarded with National Life Membership of the Urban Development Institute of Australia.
• Dennis Family Homes introduces 17 new designs across the Generations Series and Aspirations Series throughout the year.
• Cranbourne East Primary School and Cranbourne East Secondary College open at The Hunt Club estate.
• Wyndham Vale Community Learning Centre opens at Manor Lakes.
• Construction commences at the Pioneer Valley estate at Kuraby.
• First residents move into Northquarter Place townhouse development at Murrumba Downs.
• Final lot is sold at Rose Grange estate in Tarneit.
• Masters home improvement store opens at Burnside, becoming the chain's seventh facility operating in Australia and second in Victoria.

2012

• Dennis Family Homes introduces the 2012 Series of homes.
• As the company continues to go from strength to strength, the Dennis Family Corporation is Victoria's largest private property developer and employs a large team of staff.