Cairns Central

Cairns Central
Cairns Central from outside the main entrance on Shields Street
Map
LocationCairns City, Cairns, Queensland Australia
Coordinates16°55′30″S 145°46′19″E / 16.92500°S 145.77194°E / -16.92500; 145.77194
Opening date1997; 27 years ago (1997)
DeveloperSuncorp Coles-Myers
ManagementLend Lease
OwnerLend Lease via Australian Prime Property Fund
No. of stores and services180
No. of anchor tenants6
Total retail floor area58,000 m2 (620,000 sq ft)[1]
No. of floors2 (Trading area)
Parking2,473[2]
Websitecairnscentral.com.au

Cairns Central Shopping Centre is in Cairns City, Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia. It is Cairns' biggest shopping centre. The centre was opened in late 1997[2] and is the second multi-story shopping centre in northern Queensland. The shopping centre is built over the Cairns railway station, which is incorporated with the centre. Pedestrian access to the station is through the car park on the bottom floor, or a pedestrian walkway on the second floor. Construction of the shopping centre was delayed temporarily due to damage suffered from Tropical Cyclone Justin in early 1997.

Cairns Central currently contains 5 anchor stores including:

  • 1 Floor Myer department Store.
  • Target discount department store. The store temporarily pulled out of the centre in April 2021 to swap locations with Kmart. The store opened in November 2021.[3]
  • Kmart discount department store. It originally opened in the former Bi-Lo supermarket until it was moved into the former Target space in 2021.
  • Coles Supermarket.
  • Woolworths Supermarket. Opened on 15 December 2020 as part of a recent redevelopment and took over the second-floor of Myer.
  • Event Cinemas Cinema complex.

The centre is jointly owned by Lend Lease, owners of other Australian shopping centres such as Sunshine Plaza and Canelands Central and The Westfield Group.[citation needed]

Cairns Central as of June 2008 recorded more than $353 million in sales and has centre visits of 10 million a year.[4]

Awards

The centre has, for the second time running, been named among the state's top shopping centres. Cairns Central on 13 February 2009 was named runner-up in the 2008 Queensland Shopping Centre of the Year Awards in the Super/Major regional centres exceeding 50,000 square metres (540,000 sq ft).[4]

Ownership court case

In August 2007 it was revealed joint owners Westfield and Australian Prime Property Fund were arguing about Westfield's insistence on managing the centre itself. APPF said it wanted current managers Lend Lease to stay in charge and Westfield took the matter to the New South Wales Supreme Court. A spokesman for APPF confirmed the matter had been referred for mediation, expected to start about 18 February 2008. Westfield bought their 50% share in 2006 from Coles Myer and put itself forward as the centre's manager but this was rejected by Lend Lease.[5]

An attempt by Westfield in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Monday 16 June to force a public auction of the shopping centre – valued at $407 million – was rejected as was an alternative bid to appoint receivers to sell the centre. Lend Lease's contract over Cairns Central ran out on 30 June 2008 and was, and still is, uncertain who will manage the centre.[6]

Tenants of the centre have revealed claims that rent since Westfield bought the 50% share in 2006 rent had gone up substantially and that locally run shops were being forced out in favour of large national and international retailers.[citation needed]

As of October 2011, Lendlease purchased Westfield's 50% share in Cairns Central, which leaves Lendlease as the primary owner of the shopping centre via Lendlease's APPF Commercial Investment arm.[7]

Redevelopment project

On 18 July 2019, Lendlease announced their $60 million redevelopment project for Cairns Central. The project includes a new Woolworths and food market, parking improvements, and other facilities.[8] Construction of this redevelopment went on until its completion on 15 December 2020.[9]

  • Cairns Central from the air facing south, circa 2006
    Cairns Central from the air facing south, circa 2006
  • Cairns railway station at dusk
    Cairns railway station at dusk
  • Cairns Central in the evening
    Cairns Central in the evening

See also

References

  1. ^ "Cairns Central Statistics - Page 53" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Lendlease.com - Cairns Central | Retail Shopping Centre". Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  3. ^ Nicola, Andreas (16 November 2021). "Target returns to major shopping centre Cairns Central on Thursday in old Kmart spot". Cairns Post. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Cairns.com.au - Central's top of the shops". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
  5. ^ "Cairns.com.au - Cairns Central row". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
  6. ^ "Cairns.com.au - Dispute over Cairns Central". Archived from the original on 6 August 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  7. ^ "Property Observer - Lend Lease Buys Westfield's Stake". 24 October 2011. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Cairns Central - Redevelopment Updates/News". Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Shopping Centre News - Lendlease's $60m Cairns Central Redevelopment". 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2020.