Vale Bert Dennis
Albert George Dennis, the founder of Dennis Family Corporation and one of Victoria’s longest-serving residential property developers, has died aged 91.
Known as Bert Dennis, he established the business in 1960 as a civil engineering consultancy before moving into land development and home building.
His family announced his death today.
Bert Dennis
Born in Sale on April 12, 1935, Mr Dennis was one of five children raised by his mother. By 13, he had lived in 15 houses and attended 19 schools.
He completed a Diploma in Civil Engineering by 21 and joined the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works. At 22, he became acting deputy city engineer for the City of Chelsea.
In 1960, aged 24, he partnered with retired city engineer Oscar Flight in Flight and Dennis.
Five years later, following Mr Flight’s retirement, Mr Dennis became sole owner.
He entered land development in 1968 before expanding into residential construction and commercial property.
Dennis Family Corporation
The business became Dennis Family Corporation in 1999, bringing its development, engineering and home-building operations together (continues below).
Projects include The Hunt Club and Burnside.
Manor Lakes, in Wyndham Vale, also in Melbourne’s west, became the group’s largest residential development.
Mr Dennis also established Dennis Family Homes, which the family sold to Simonds Homes in 2025.
In 1992, the executive and his wife, Dawn, discussed the business’s future with their four adult children, deciding to retain family ownership and build a multi-generational operation. Mr Dennis later became the corporation’s founding chairman.
Industry contribution
Mr Dennis was president of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Victorian division from 1985 to 1988 and national president from 1995 to 1997. He was a life member of both organisations.
His honours included the Housing Industry Association’s Sir Phillip Lynch Award in 2003, an Order of Australia Medal in 2005 for services to the land and housing industries, urban planning and charitable organisations, and the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association’s Richard J. Evans Award in 2010.
He was also inaugural chairman of the Victorian Property Industry Foundation from 2008 to 2010.
Throughout his career, he advocated for land supply, housing affordability and planning reform.
He is survived by Dawn, their four children, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
