Pacific Epping
A major shopping, dining and entertainment centre in Epping, Victoria, approximately 20 kilometres north of Melbourne's central business district.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Pacific Epping is a large shopping, dining and entertainment centre in Epping, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The centre stands at the intersection of High Street and Cooper Street, around 500 metres from Epping railway station and approximately 20 kilometres north of Melbourne's central business district. Its location positions it as a regional retail destination for Epping and surrounding communities in Melbourne's northern suburbs. The complex began operating in stages under the Epping Plaza name. A soft opening took place in 1995 with Target and Coles as the principal initial tenants, followed by the broader opening of the centre in April 1996. The official opening ceremony was held on 29 October 1996. A dining and entertainment precinct was added in November 1997, including a ten-auditorium cinema complex, the Epping Plaza Hotel and indoor restaurants. Additional restaurant operators, including TGI Fridays and La Familigia, joined the precinct later. Pacific Epping expanded significantly during the 2000s. A major western extension completed in 2007 increased the centre to 218 stores. Further works in 2009 enlarged and refurbished the fresh-food area, which subsequently became known as Hunter & Gatherer. Between late 2012 and 2013, the dining and entertainment precinct underwent a substantial redevelopment. The resulting Urban Dining area adopted a street-style format on the Cooper Street side and added 11 restaurants and cafés. Reading Cinemas was also renovated, with additional Gold Lounge auditoriums and extensive internal and external refurbishment. Completion of this redevelopment was accompanied by the centre's rebranding from Epping Plaza to Pacific Epping in 2013. The centre continued to broaden its offer during the late 2010s. Quest Apartment Hotels announced plans in January 2017 for a 96-room hotel and approximately 1,300 square metres of additional restaurant space following the securing of a lease. The hotel and associated dining and entertainment expansion were completed in late 2018. In 2019, a two-storey childcare centre and gym were developed near JB Hi-Fi and Aldi. In early 2021, Target closed its store and Kmart took over the department-store space. Pacific Epping's tenant mix spans supermarkets, discount department stores, apparel, consumer electronics, entertainment and food services. Major retailers identified in the supplied reference material include Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Big W, Kmart, Harris Scarfe, JB Hi-Fi, Best & Less and Cotton On Mega. Reading Cinemas remains a major entertainment anchor. The Hunter & Gatherer precinct closed in November 2023 for another redevelopment and reopened in December 2024 with more than 20 shops and a fully renovated Woolworths supermarket. Management and ownership changed in June 2018 when QIC assumed management rights and acquired a 50% ownership stake. The centre remains an active retail property and continues to combine everyday shopping, specialty retail, restaurants, cinema entertainment, hospitality and services.
History
Pacific Epping developed from the Epping Plaza shopping centre in Epping, Victoria. The original complex soft-opened in 1995 with Target and Coles, while the wider centre opened in April 1996. Its formal opening ceremony took place on 29 October 1996. The centre was built near the junction of High Street and Cooper Street, close to Epping railway station, giving it a prominent position within Melbourne's northern suburban retail network. A dining and entertainment complex opened in November 1997. Its initial attractions included a ten-auditorium cinema operated under the Epping 10 name, the Epping Plaza Hotel and indoor restaurants. The cinema later became associated with Reading Cinemas after Reading acquired Anderson Multiplex in 2004. TGI Fridays and La Familigia were added to the dining precinct in 2001, broadening the centre's food and leisure offer. The first major expansion occurred in mid-2007, when a western extension increased the total number of stores to 218. In 2009, the fresh-food hall and nearby northern areas were refurbished. The fresh-food precinct was subsequently branded Hunter & Gatherer, reinforcing the centre's role as a destination for supermarket and specialty food shopping. Another major redevelopment began between December 2012 and January 2013. This project modernised the dining and entertainment complex and replaced the earlier indoor restaurant arrangement with a street-oriented format. Known as Urban Dining after completion in October 2013, the Cooper Street precinct added 11 restaurants and cafés. Reading Cinemas was also extensively renovated, including the addition of two Gold Lounge auditoriums, internal rebuilding and a new exterior. Completion of this stage marked the centre's transition from Epping Plaza to the Pacific Epping brand. Despite the formal rebrand, the former Epping Plaza name continued to appear informally in local references, including the Epping Plaza Hotel and bus-stop naming. In January 2017, Quest Apartment Hotels announced plans for a 96-room hotel at the centre, together with approximately 1,300 square metres of new restaurant space secured through a lease. The development was completed in late 2018 and added further hospitality, dining and entertainment capacity to the Urban Dining area. In June of the same year, QIC assumed management rights and acquired a 50% interest in the centre. In 2019, a two-storey childcare centre and gym were built near JB Hi-Fi and Aldi, extending the centre's service offer beyond conventional retail. The tenant mix changed in early 2021 when Target closed its store and Kmart replaced it. Pacific Epping continued to operate with a combination of supermarket, discount department-store, specialty retail, food and entertainment anchors. In November 2023, Hunter & Gatherer closed for a further redevelopment. It reopened in December 2024 with more than 20 shops and a completely renovated Woolworths supermarket. The centre has also experienced several reported incidents. A small fire at Reading Cinemas in October 2006 led to an evacuation and sprinkler-related water damage to Harris Scarfe below; police reportedly believed the fire was deliberately started. In December 2008, a wall collapsed inside Big W's garden centre, prompting the evacuation of nearby stores and part of the underground car park. No injuries were reported, and a burst pipe was considered a possible cause. In 2009, a McDonald's staff member at the centre was identified as one of Australia's early domestically acquired cases of swine flu, resulting in the branch's temporary closure. In June 2024, a firearm was discharged outside the centre and two people later presented to hospital with injuries they associated with the event.
- 2024
Hunter & Gatherer reopens
[1]The redeveloped precinct reopened with more than 20 shops and a renovated Woolworths supermarket.
- 2021
Kmart replaces Target
[1]Target closed its store and Kmart took over the location.
- 2019
Childcare centre and gym added
[1]A two-storey childcare centre and gym were built near JB Hi-Fi and Aldi.
- 2018
QIC takes management and a 50% stake
[1]QIC assumed management rights and acquired half of the centre's ownership.
- 2017
Quest hotel development announced
[1]Quest Apartment Hotels announced a 96-room hotel and additional restaurant space at the centre.
- 2013
Urban Dining opens and centre is rebranded
[1]A redevelopment added 11 restaurants and cafés, upgraded Reading Cinemas and rebranded Epping Plaza as Pacific Epping.
- 2009
Fresh-food hall refurbishment
[1]The fresh-food hall and adjacent areas were refurbished and later associated with the Hunter & Gatherer identity.
- 2007
Western extension completed
[1]A major extension increased the centre to 218 stores.
- 1997
Dining and entertainment precinct opens
[1]A ten-auditorium cinema complex, hotel and indoor restaurants opened to the public.
- 1996
Official opening
[1]The broader centre opened in April, followed by an official opening ceremony on 29 October 1996.
Products and positioning
A broad-format suburban shopping and entertainment destination serving Melbourne's northern suburbs, combining major supermarkets and department stores with specialty retail, fresh food, restaurants, cinema, hospitality and services.
Fresh food precinct · 2009
Hunter & Gatherer
Pacific Epping's fresh-food precinct, developed from the earlier Fresh Food Hall. It underwent another redevelopment beginning in November 2023 and reopened in December 2024 with more than 20 shops and a completely renovated Woolworths supermarket.
Dining and entertainment precinct · 2013
Urban Dining
A street-style dining area on the Cooper Street side of the centre. Created through the 2012–2013 redevelopment, it added 11 restaurants and cafés and was later expanded alongside the Quest hotel development.
Cinema · 1997
Reading Cinemas
The centre's cinema anchor originated as a ten-auditorium Epping 10 complex. It was later operated under the Reading Cinemas name and substantially renovated during the 2013 redevelopment, including the addition of two Gold Lounge auditoriums.
Retail · 1995
Major retail anchors
The centre's major retail offer includes Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Big W, Kmart, Harris Scarfe, JB Hi-Fi, Best & Less and Cotton On Mega. These tenants cover groceries, discount department-store merchandise, apparel and consumer electronics.
Brand decisions
2023
Hunter & Gatherer redevelopmentGeneration changeBackground
The fresh-food precinct required further redevelopment after years of operation.
Action taken
Hunter & Gatherer closed in November 2023 and was redeveloped before reopening in December 2024.
Aftermath
The precinct reopened with more than 20 shops and a fully renovated Woolworths supermarket.
2021
Target replaced by KmartOtherBackground
Target's store at Pacific Epping closed in early 2021.
Action taken
Kmart replaced Target as the discount department-store tenant.
Aftermath
The change preserved a major discount department-store anchor within the centre's tenant mix.
2018
QIC assumes management and acquires a 50% stakeM&ABackground
Ownership and management arrangements changed as the centre continued to expand its retail, dining and hospitality offer.
Action taken
QIC assumed management rights and acquired a 50% ownership interest.
Aftermath
QIC became the identified manager and a co-owner of the shopping centre. The supplied material does not state the identity of the other owner or the transaction value.
2013
Rebrand from Epping Plaza to Pacific EppingStrategyBackground
A major redevelopment modernised the dining and entertainment area, expanded the restaurant offer and upgraded Reading Cinemas.
Action taken
The centre adopted the Pacific Epping name after completion of the redevelopment, while Epping Plaza continued to appear in some local names and references.
Aftermath
The rebrand established Pacific Epping as the centre's principal identity and accompanied a broader food, leisure and entertainment repositioning.
Recent events
- 2024
Hunter & Gatherer precinct reopens after redevelopment[1]
Product generation
The redeveloped fresh-food precinct reopened in December 2024 with more than 20 shops and a fully renovated Woolworths supermarket.
- 2024
Gun fired outside Pacific Epping[1]
Other
A gun was fired outside the centre on 21 June 2024. Two males, aged 16 and 22, later attended hospital with injuries they reported as being connected to the incident.
- 2023
Hunter & Gatherer precinct closes for redevelopment[1]
Other
The centre's Hunter & Gatherer fresh-food precinct closed in November 2023 for redevelopment and later reopened with more than 20 shops and a renovated Woolworths supermarket.
- 2018
QIC assumes management and acquires a 50% ownership interest[1]
M&A · Leadership change
QIC assumed management rights for Pacific Epping and acquired a 50% ownership stake in June 2018. The supplied material does not identify the other owner or disclose transaction value.
Sources1 sources
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