Toombul Shopping Centre was an enclosed suburban shopping centre located in the locality of Toombul which is part of Nundah, a suburb of the City of Brisbane in the state of Queensland, Australia. The centre was anchored by Target and Kmart discount department stores, a Coles supermarket, an Aldi Food Store, an eight-screen Event Cinema, and more than 140 specialty stores, including Daiso.
The centre was opened on 11 October 1967 by the Westfield Group. Over the years it was remodelled, with several extensions, the most recent being a new dining and entertainment precinct upgrade on the second level. Toombul was the largest shopping centre on Brisbane's northside, until Westfield Chermside's redevelopment in 1999-2000.
In February 2022, the centre experienced severe damage due to flooding, and a decision was made not to reopen it. Business owners received a letter informing them that "it is impractical and undesirable to reinstate the centre to how it was prior to the flooding damage. As a result, to provide our retailers with certainty we have taken the difficult decision to close Toombul Shopping Centre and terminate all leases."[1]
In the mid 1960s, the Westfield Group was looking to expand into Queensland. Co-founder of Westfield, Frank Lowy, sent his brother John and an engineer to the state to scout for potential sites in Brisbane. A local real estate agent, Donald Petrie, showed them the Toombul site, in a growing area of the city but located on a flood plain with a creek flowing through it. [citation needed] Later, the Westfield founders travelled to Brisbane to inspect the site. Realising the commercial potential of the area, the company purchased the property. To overcome the possible flooding problem, Westfield employed experts at a local university to develop a plan. Their solution was to fill and raise one half of the site, and construct a bridge across the creek.[citation needed]
There were problems finding a department store to anchor the centre, and in filling the specialty retail spaces. Because Toombul was close to the Chermside Shopping Centre, which was anchored by a department store, other department stores were cautious about opening in Toombul. Another problem was that Westfield was an unknown developer outside of New South Wales, making it hard to attract retailers. Frank Lowy and Donald Petrie resorted to walking the streets of Brisbane's CBD to find retailers to occupy the centre. That paid off, because the centre was 100% leased on opening. Due to Westfield's relationship with Coles (having built some Coles stores in Sydney), the retailer committed to opening a store at the centre.[citation needed]
The complex opened as Westfield Shopping Town Toombul on Wednesday 11 October 1967. It was originally anchored by a Barry and Roberts department store, a Coles supermarket, a Bayards store and 60 specialty shops. It was the first shopping centre in Brisbane built with air-conditioning (Chermside was converted in 1965) and had off-street parking for up to 1500 vehicles. One of its main features was a water fountain, located within western entrance.[citation needed]
By the early 1970s, the Bayards store had closed, leaving room for another anchor to open. Westfield negotiated a deal with David Jones to open a store at Toombul. That was an unusual move for the retailer, because it had its own development and construction company, and only opened suburban stores in its own "Garden City" shopping centres. The two-level David Jones department store opened in 1972 and was the first extension of the centre. It was also the first David Jones store to open in a Westfield-owned shopping centre.[citation needed]
For a brief time in the 1970s, Toombul was anchored by two department stores, a rarity for an Australian shopping centre at the time. Sometime in the 1970s, a single-screen cinema opened at the centre, the second extension to the complex. By the mid 1970s, Barry and Roberts had closed down their Toombul store, leaving David Jones as the sole department store. In 1978, the discount department store chain Target opened a store in part of the former Barry and Roberts area. A food court was also opened at that time.[citation needed]
A street and two residential blocks adjoining the centre were bought in the late 1970s and construction of the third major extension began. In 1980, the extension opened, involving a new mall, a bus station, an extension to the second level of David Jones, and Best & Less and Kmart discount stores. The total number of specialty shops at the centre increased to over 140. In 1982, the Target store closed, being replaced by McDonnell & East two years later, giving the centre two department stores once again. McDonnell & East closed in 1987, due to its failed expansion strategy, leaving David Jones, Kmart and Coles as the anchors. The fourth major extension opened in 1989 on the part of the site occupied by the former Barry and Roberts store. That extension added a BI-LO supermarket, new specialty stores on the lower level, and an eight-screen Hoyts multiplex cinema (the first not in the Brisbane CBD), as well as a new food court and Sizzler restaurant on the upper mezzanine level. The rest of the centre was also refurbished.[citation needed]
The 1990s were probably Westfield Toombul's last successful decade and, by the early 1990s, it was the largest shopping centre on Brisbane's northside, and the only centre on the northside with a multiplex cinema. The number of specialty shops totalled over 180. The centre held that title until 1999, when the redeveloped Westfield Chermside opened. Although the much larger Chermside centre didn't greatly affect the retail trade of Toombul, it did affect the patronage of the cinema. The more modern, larger 16-screen Birch, Carroll and Coyle multiplex built at Chermside, with Gold Class cinemas and entertainment precinct, drew much of its clientele from the same catchment as the Toombul multiplex, with many preferring to go to Chermside. After the redevelopment of Chermside was completed in 2000, Toombul was relatively neglected by Westfield, with the company preferring to focus on promoting the upgraded Chermside centre.[citation needed]
In 2003, the external facade was modernised, a new bus station constructed, and an outdoor dining precinct was added on the site of the former bus station. The famous "big T" sign, dating from the centre's opening in 1967, was removed. That was the last construction work done by Westfield. In July 2003, the centre was acquired by the Centro Properties Group, in a stock trade deal involving Toombul and other Westfield properties in exchange for Centro's interest in the AMP Shopping Centre Trust. As a result, the centre changed its name from Westfield Toombul to Centro Toombul.[citation needed]
In 2005, Centro announced a two-stage extension of the centre. The first stage added an Aldi Food Store, Fresh Life fresh food mall, and additional specialty stores. The second stage of expansion, which never occurred, was scheduled to add Diner's Life food court on the ground level and convert the old cinemas into a rooftop carpark. That was originally intended to be complete by November 2006.[citation needed]
Around that time, the future of the centre looked uncertain, due to increased competition from rival centres at Chermside, Nundah and Brisbane Airport, as well the ageing building itself. Much of the blame for the decline, even while the surrounding area is booming, has been laid at the feet of Centro, with poor management practices cited.[3]
On 21 August 2008, it was announced that Centro Toombul was for sale.[4]
On 20 July 2010, David Jones announced that it would terminate its lease at Centro Toombul, ending the store's 35-year-long relationship with the centre.[5] After David Jones closed on 29 January 2011, the store space was taken over by discount department store Target.[6]
In May 2011, a new, small food court opened on the ground level near centre court. The new food court housed six outlets, including a Subway.
On 6 October 2011, Target opened at Toombul. The 6,574-square-metre store featured Target’s new store design which included a co-ordinated women’s fashion area, with a major boulevard for accessories, and a beauty shop in the middle of the store, with a cosmetics bar for makeovers, and a state-of-the-art home entertainment department.
In August 2012, the eight-screen multiplex cinema reopened with new furnishings, having closed in 2007. It was operated by Event Cinemas.
In November 2013, the centre was re-branded "Toombul", to reflect the re-branding of Centro Properties Group as Federation Centres in January 2013.[7]
June 2015 saw the closure of the BI-LO supermarket, which had briefly become the second Coles store, leaving only one full supermarket in the centre.
In March 2016, it was announced that a new, small-format Bunnings store would open in the first half of 2017[8] in BI-LO/Coles old position.[9]
In May 2016, the centre was acquired by Mirvac.[10] Mirvac's short-term plan for the centre included improvements to the car parks, convenience, and the enhancement of the retail offering to better align with changing demographics. Medium- to long-term plans included the potential to deliver a new entertainment offering and dining precinct.[11]
In November 2019, Upstairs Toombul opened, which was a 4500-square-metre dining precinct situated on level 2, where the foodcourt and Lincraft outlet had been located, anchored by an Archie Brothers and over 12 new dining establishments. The opening coincided with other upgrades around the centre, including a Fashion mall, a Kmart Mall, a food court, and a fresh food market, as well as introduction of many new tenancies.[citation needed] On 15 August 2021, Bunnings closed its small-format store.
On 27 February 2022, during the 2022 Brisbane floods, torrential rain fell for three consecutive days over south-east Queensland, and the entire precinct was inundated.[12] The shopping centre closed due to the flooding, and no date was given for its reopening.[13] In May 2022, following an inspection of the damage, it was determined that the centre would not be safe to reopen, due to the extent of the damage to the building's structural integrity. As a result, Mirvac announced that all leases were to be terminated, due to the extent of the flood damage, as well as the high vacancy rate in the shopping centre.[14]
The Brisbane Times revealed that state MP, Tim Nicholls, had met Mirvac senior management in August 2022. This led to Mirvac saying it would allow the community to have a say in several months, after it made a decision over the future of the site".[15] In that article, Nicholls was quoted as saying that there was a need for a "substantial retail component", because the inner Northside was "not serviced by a decent-sized shopping centre from the CBD until Chermside".
On 15 September 2022, the 4BC Breakfast Show with Neil Breen confirmed that retail space would be rebuilt on the site, whereas Mirvac had previously said it would be considered.[16] The development would also include public open space and flood mitigation strategies. It was to go out to public consultation in the coming months, after considerable public pressure. Complete demolition of the site began in February 2024, expected to take 12 months, and planning for the long-term future is underway.[2]
Related Research Articles
Chermside is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Chermside had a population of 11,426 people. The suburb is situated 9.8 kilometres (6.1 mi) by road north of the Brisbane CBD. It is home to a large Westfield shopping centre.
Eastland Shopping Centre is a super-regional shopping centre located in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Ringwood, Victoria, Australia, which first opened on 31 October 1967.
Westfield Kotara is a large shopping centre in the suburb of Kotara in Newcastle.
Westfield Fountain Gate is a super-regional shopping centre located in Narre Warren in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. It is the second largest shopping centre in Australia by floor area. However, it is the largest shopping centre in Australia with all 3 discount department stores, Big W, Target and Kmart.
Westfield Knox is a shopping centre, outdoor entertainment and professional services complex in the outer eastern Melbourne suburb of Wantirna South, in the Australian state of Victoria. The centre opened on 9 November 1977 with 88 stores and 2300 parking spaces.
Strathpine Centre is an urban shopping centre located in Strathpine, a suburb in the City of Moreton Bay, north of Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia.
Westfield Carousel is an Australian shopping centre in the Perth suburb of Cannington. It is located approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Perth's central business district on the Albany Highway and approximately 600 metres (2,000 ft) from Cannington railway station. Following a redevelopment in 2018, Westfield Carousel became the largest shopping centre in Western Australia.
Westfield Doncaster is a shopping centre 50% owned by Scentre Group and 25% owned by ISPT and 25% owned by Asia Property Fund located in Doncaster, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. As of July 2014, the Westfield Group became two companies Scentre Group and Westfield Corporation. The Westfield Group portion is now owned by Scentre Group. It is located on the corner of Williamsons Road and Doncaster Road in the Doncaster Hill precinct, an ongoing planning initiative by the local Manningham council. It is located 20 minutes east of the CBD and is one of the biggest shopping centres in Victoria.
Westfield Booragoon is a major regional shopping centre in the city of Perth, Western Australia. Westfield Booragoon is located at the corner of Marmion Street and Riseley Street in the southern suburb of Booragoon. 50% of the shopping complex is owned by Dexus with the remaining 50% owned by Scentre Group which owns and operates its properties under the Westfield name from which the company is derived.
Westfield Tuggerah is a large shopping centre in the suburb of Tuggerah on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is the second largest shopping centre on the Central Coast after Erina Fair.
Westfield Burwood is a large shopping centre in the suburb of Burwood in the Inner West of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Westfield Chermside, colloquially known as 'Chermside' or 'Chermy', is a regional shopping centre located in the Brisbane northern suburb of Chermside. It is the second largest regional shopping centre in Australia by number of stores, behind Chadstone Shopping Centre, and is operated by Scentre Group. The centre contains the Chermside bus station, a major hub for buses north of Brisbane.
Westfield Carindale, colloquially known as 'Carindale', is a large shopping centre in Queensland located in the suburb of Carindale, east of Brisbane. The centre is one of the largest shopping centres in Australia. The centre contains over 450 specialty stores and almost 6,000 car parking spaces. Other features include a food court, a Brisbane City Council Library, and a state of the art luxury Glasshouse Dining Precinct.
Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City is a major shopping centre located in Joondalup, a suburb in the north of Perth. It is adjacent to the Joondalup railway station, and is currently the third largest shopping centre in Western Australia after Westfield Carousel and Karrinyup Shopping Centre. The centre contains three major Australian supermarkets, Woolworths, Coles and Aldi, three major discount department stores, Big W, Kmart and Target, and the department store Myer.
Brookside Shopping Centre is the largest shopping centre in Brisbane's north-west, situated in Mitchelton, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Westfield Mt Gravatt is one of Brisbane's major shopping centres, located in the suburb of Upper Mount Gravatt in Queensland, Australia. The centre carries the affectionate slang name of Garbo and is operated by Westfield. Previously the centre was operated by AMP Limited before the takeover in 2003. The shopping centre currently has 470 specialty stores, cafes, restaurants and other services and food vendors.
Westfield Plenty Valley is a shopping centre in the suburb of South Morang, Victoria, Australia. Until its expansion in 2008, it was known as Plenty Valley Town Centre and hosted one major store, and approximately 22 specialty stores.
Castle Towers Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia. The shopping complex is owned by the Queensland Investment Corporation.
Top Ryde City is a large indoor/outdoor shopping centre owned by The Blackstone Group. It is located in the suburb of Ryde in Northern Sydney.
Karingal Hub Shopping Centre as well as its "Town Square" is the second largest shopping complex located at 330 Cranbourne Rd, Frankston, Victoria, Australia, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Melbourne CBD. The complex has a combined gross leasable area of 53,000 m2 (570,000 sq ft), 2,750 parking spaces and 200+ stores. It was acquired by ISPT, or the Industry Superannuation Property Trust in July, 2013 and has been owned by other corporations in the past such as Vicinity Centres, which owns its competitor Bayside. It has the only Big W in and around the peninsula and has a multitude of popular shops, and includes a renovated and tall playground within its Town Square as well as an additional smaller playground in the south of the building, close to the retailer Big W.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
