Karingal Hub Shopping Centre
A major shopping and entertainment centre in Karingal, Frankston, Victoria, serving Melbourne's southeastern Peninsula region.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Karingal Hub is a large regional shopping and entertainment centre in Karingal, a locality within Frankston, Victoria, approximately 40 kilometres south of central Melbourne. The centre is positioned on Cranbourne Road near the EastLink freeway and functions as one of the principal retail destinations for the Frankston area and the wider Mornington Peninsula catchment. Its offer combines supermarkets, discount department retail, fashion, specialty stores, dining, health and fitness, cinema and family-oriented public spaces. The centre opened in 1978 as a relatively simple L-shaped mall anchored by Big W and Safeway. Its development was closely associated with the growth of the Karingal residential estate, and the property was initially managed by Jennings Properties, a business connected with AVJennings. An expansion in 1984 added another large retail section, subsequently occupied by Woolworths. Safeway had been acquired by the Woolworths group in 1985, and both supermarket spaces eventually adopted the Woolworths identity. During the 1990s, the property became associated with Centro after the evolution of Jennings Properties, and it was later known as Centro Karingal. A major phase of growth began in 2005 with the creation of Star Zone Karingal, an entertainment precinct anchored by Village Cinemas. The multiplex was physically separate from the original shopping mall but operated as part of the broader centre and shared its access and parking arrangements. In 2006, the main mall was refurbished and extended. The work refreshed the internal and external facades, expanded the northwest portion, and added a substantially larger food court and concourse. This phase increased the centre's gross lettable area by approximately 12,500 square metres. ISPT acquired Karingal Hub in July 2013 from Federation Centres, the organisation that preceded the later Vicinity Centres structure. The reported acquisition price was A$115 million. The ownership change occurred during a period in which the centre was being repositioned for a more substantial redevelopment, a plan that had been under consideration since 2013. From 2021 onward, Karingal Hub underwent a reported A$160 million redevelopment and extension. The project added approximately 12,000 square metres of retail space and improved the connection between the original mall and the entertainment precinct. It was delivered in three broad stages. The first created a Fresh Food Precinct with a marketplace, Coles, Aldi, a refurbished Woolworths and numerous fresh-food and specialty operators. The second refreshed the fashion and lifestyle offer, introduced more than 40 stores, relocated the food court and repurposed part of the former southern Woolworths space for retailers including Cotton On, Glue and TK Maxx. The third transformed Star Zone Karingal into Town Square, integrating Village Cinemas with restaurants, gathering areas, play spaces and improved vertical links to the principal mall. The completed centre has a combined gross lettable area of about 53,000 square metres, more than 200 stores and approximately 2,750 parking spaces. Major tenants and attractions include Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Big W, Village Cinemas, TK Maxx, Best & Less and Goodlife Health Clubs, alongside restaurants, banks, convenience businesses and service retailers. The centre's positioning is practical and community-oriented: it combines everyday grocery and household shopping with fashion, entertainment, dining and family amenities. Its Town Square includes a 12-screen Village Cinemas complex, three Gold Class auditoriums and communal recreation areas, while renovated playgrounds support its role as a local meeting and leisure destination. Karingal Hub competes most directly with Bayside Shopping Centre and the Frankston Power Centre, both within the surrounding Frankston retail market. Its scale, supermarket mix, cinema offer, parking capacity and post-2021 redevelopment allow it to serve both routine local shopping and broader regional visits.
History
Karingal Hub opened in 1978 as a small L-shaped shopping mall developed in connection with the Karingal residential estate. Its original anchor tenants were Big W and Safeway, and management was associated with Jennings Properties, a business connected to AVJennings. The centre expanded in 1984 with an additional mall section intended for another major tenant. Woolworths subsequently occupied that space, creating an unusual arrangement in which two supermarket premises served the locality before the Safeway branding was ultimately replaced by Woolworths. During the 1990s, Jennings Properties evolved into Centro, and the centre adopted the Centro Karingal name used across the group's portfolio. Smaller improvements during the decade included additions to the food offer and other retail facilities. The property was later associated with Federation Centres and, following corporate changes in the Australian shopping-centre sector, with the broader Vicinity Centres lineage. The next important expansion occurred in 2005, when the centre added Star Zone Karingal. This precinct introduced a Village Cinemas multiplex and other entertainment and wellbeing uses. It was the first centre in the Village Cinemas portfolio to use the Star Zone terminology. The entertainment area was separate from the original mall building but formed part of the same managed destination and used shared parking and pedestrian connections. The addition was partly a competitive response to the development of an entertainment offer at Bayside Shopping Centre in Frankston. In 2006, the main shopping centre received a substantial refurbishment and extension. The internal and external facades were updated, the northwestern part of the mall was enlarged, and a new atrium-style food court and concourse were created. The project added approximately 12,500 square metres to the centre's lettable area and strengthened its position as a regional rather than purely neighbourhood shopping destination. ISPT acquired the property in July 2013 from Federation Centres for a reported A$115 million. Around the same period, the two Safeway stores operating at the centre were rebranded Woolworths, bringing the site into line with the national supermarket owner's unified branding. A more ambitious redevelopment plan had been under consideration from approximately April 2013, but the full project was delivered later. In 2021, Karingal Hub commenced a large redevelopment and extension reported at approximately A$160 million. The plan added roughly 12,000 square metres of new shopping space and reworked the relationship between the original mall and the separately developed entertainment zone. The first stage established the Fresh Food Precinct, with a marketplace, Coles, Aldi, a refurbished Woolworths and more than 28 fresh-food and specialty operators. It also introduced a large central area suitable for kiosks, events and customer circulation. The second stage concentrated on fashion, lifestyle and internal mall renewal. More than 40 stores were introduced or refreshed, and the existing Woolworths premises in the southern portion were partly repurposed for a Cotton On Megastore, Glue and TK Maxx. A new food court was placed opposite Big W and near TK Maxx, while the former northern food court and adjoining open area were rebuilt as part of the new precinct. Some former tenants did not return after the works; the absence of McDonald's attracted local discussion, although the reasons for its non-return were not definitively established in the available reference material. The third stage redeveloped Star Zone Karingal as Town Square. The new precinct retained Village Cinemas, including its 12-screen format and Gold Class facilities, while adding dining, communal spaces, play areas and improved links to the main mall. A new lift and escalator connection integrated the entertainment area with the Fresh Food Precinct. The resulting complex provides approximately 53,000 square metres of gross lettable area, more than 200 stores and around 2,750 parking spaces. Today, Karingal Hub operates as a major retail and leisure destination for Karingal and the wider Frankston and Peninsula catchments. Its tenant mix spans supermarkets, discount department retail, fashion, food, cinema, fitness, banking and convenience services. It competes with Bayside Shopping Centre and Frankston Power Centre, while differentiating itself through its combination of large grocery anchors, Big W, a substantial cinema and the community-oriented Town Square environment.
- 2022
Town Square launches
[1]The former Star Zone area is substantially renewed and relaunched as Town Square.
- 2021
Major redevelopment begins
[1]A three-stage redevelopment begins, covering fresh food, fashion and lifestyle retail, mall connections and the entertainment precinct.
- 2013
ISPT becomes owner
[1]ISPT acquires Karingal Hub from Federation Centres.
- 2006
Main mall refurbishment and extension
[1]The mall receives facade upgrades, a northwest extension and a larger atrium food court and concourse.
- 2005
Star Zone Karingal opens
[1]A separate entertainment precinct opens with Village Cinemas and related leisure uses.
- 1984
First major expansion
[1]A new mall section is added and later occupied by Woolworths.
- 1978
Karingal Hub opens
[1]The original L-shaped shopping centre opens with Big W and Safeway as its principal anchors.
Products and positioning
A large, community-focused regional shopping and entertainment destination combining everyday grocery shopping, discount department retail, fashion, dining, cinema, fitness and family amenities for Karingal, Frankston and the surrounding Peninsula region.
Grocery and fresh food retail · 2021
Fresh Food Precinct
A redevelopment-era food and grocery precinct containing Coles, Aldi, a refurbished Woolworths, a marketplace and more than two dozen fresh-food and specialty operators. Its open central area also supports kiosks, events and customer circulation.
Fashion and specialty retail · 2021
Fashion and Lifestyle Precinct
The fashion and lifestyle component of the post-2021 centre, incorporating retailers such as Cotton On, Factorie, Glue and TK Maxx. The precinct also includes the relocated food court and refreshed internal shopping areas.
Entertainment and dining precinct · 2022
Town Square
The redeveloped entertainment destination formerly known as Star Zone Karingal. Town Square combines Village Cinemas, dining, communal gathering areas, play spaces and improved links to the main shopping centre.
Cinema and entertainment · 2005
Village Cinemas Karingal
A 12-screen multiplex within Town Square, including three Gold Class facilities and a former VMax auditorium. It is one of the centre's principal destination attractions and anchors the entertainment offer.
Supermarket and department store retail
Major retail anchors
Karingal Hub's anchor mix includes Big W, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi. Together these stores provide general merchandise, discount department retail and routine grocery shopping, supporting the centre's regional catchment role.
Brand decisions
2022
Star Zone Karingal becomes Town SquareGeneration changeBackground
The older entertainment precinct required integration with the expanded shopping centre and a broader dining and community role.
Action taken
The precinct was rebuilt and renamed Town Square, with new dining, gathering, play and vertical-connection features around Village Cinemas.
Aftermath
Town Square became the centre's principal entertainment and social precinct.
2021
Three-stage centre redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The centre sought to modernise its retail offer and connect the original mall with the separate entertainment precinct.
Action taken
ISPT and centre management initiated a redevelopment adding fresh-food retail, fashion and lifestyle stores, new food and circulation areas, parking improvements and a renewed entertainment precinct.
Aftermath
The completed project repositioned Karingal Hub as an integrated shopping, dining, cinema and community destination.
Reported redevelopment investment. A$160 million (2021 onward)
2013
ISPT acquisition of Karingal HubM&ABackground
The centre was transferred from Federation Centres during a period of planning for a larger redevelopment and repositioning.
Action taken
ISPT acquired the shopping centre in July 2013.
Aftermath
The property remained under ISPT ownership and later proceeded to a major redevelopment program.
Reported acquisition price. A$115 million (July 2013)
Sources2 sources
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