Swagman Restaurant

Everyone I know has been to the Swagman (at least once). The Swagman was a restaurant located on the Burwood Highway in Ferntree Gully, well known for its tv commercials (see below), cabaret shows and who can forget the smorgasbord. It was one of Melbourne's first-ever smorgasbord restaurants. My mother would not eat for a day if she knew she was going to the Swagman. The Swagman opened its door in 1972 and burnt down* in 1991. In the 1980's everybody who lived in Melbourne would have visited The Swagman restaurant for a smorgasbord meal. Directors Plotted Fire, Court Told The directors of the Swagman group of companies plotted the fire that destroyed the family restaurant in May 1991 so that they could collect up to $11.1million in insurance money, the Supreme Court was told. The Age | Friday August 7, 1992 | Elisabeth Lopez