Rockdale Plaza
A shopping centre serving Rockdale and surrounding suburbs in Sydney, Australia.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Rockdale Plaza is a suburban shopping centre in Rockdale, in Sydney's St George area of New South Wales. It is a locally oriented retail complex serving Rockdale and nearby suburbs, with a tenant mix built around supermarkets, discount department retail, groceries, apparel, pharmacy and other everyday services. The centre has approximately 35,945 square metres of floor space and is anchored by major retailers including Big W, Aldi, Woolworths and Rebel. The present centre occupies a site with a longer retail history. The original complex, Southside Plaza, opened on 15 August 1963 after being developed on former market gardens. The site required substantial quantities of soil to raise the finished ground level to the height of the nearby Princes Highway. At opening, Southside Plaza contained a Mark Foy's department store, a Woolworths Food Fair supermarket, Franklins, an AMF bowling alley and 33 other stores. Its launch reflected the rapid spread of purpose-built suburban shopping centres across southern Sydney during the 1960s. The centre also hosted a Sunday trash-and-treasure market, adding a community and informal-market dimension to its retail offer. Southside Plaza experienced several changes during its first decades. Its Mark Foy's store was heavily damaged by fire in 1967. After rebuilding, the premises operated successively as McDowells and Waltons. Waltons later moved to Westfield Hurstville in 1978, leaving the space vacant. Competition from newer or redeveloped centres, including Roselands and Miranda Fair, contributed to declining trade and prompted proposals for redevelopment. Those earlier proposals did not proceed, and Southside Plaza was eventually demolished in 1992. Redevelopment of the site began after the demolition, culminating in the opening of Rockdale Plaza on 29 October 1997. The new centre opened with Big W, Franklins, Woolworths and more than 50 specialty stores. Plans and expectations that the existing tenpin bowling facility would be incorporated into the redeveloped centre were not realised, and the bowling operation remained separate from the shopping-centre complex. The tenant mix has continued to evolve. Franklins closed its Rockdale Plaza store in 2013, after which its former premises were divided between Best & Less and Aldi, with Aldi opening on 16 October 2013. Best & Less later closed in July 2020, and Chemist Warehouse subsequently occupied that space. These changes illustrate the centre's shift from its original department-store and supermarket configuration toward a combination of discount retail, grocery, pharmacy and contemporary specialty offerings. Rockdale Plaza is accessible by road, bus and rail. Rockdale railway station is served by the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line, while bus services connect the centre with St George, the Sutherland Shire and surrounding local suburbs. Services operate on or near Princes Highway and Rockdale Plaza Drive, with Transit Systems NSW and U-Go Mobility identified among the operators. The centre also provides multilevel car parking with 875 spaces. In April 2019, Charter Hall purchased Rockdale Plaza for A$142 million, according to the cited reference material. The centre's current public-facing role is that of an established community shopping destination rather than a national consumer brand.
History
Rockdale Plaza's history begins with Southside Plaza, which opened on 15 August 1963 on land formerly used as market gardens in Rockdale. The development was built up to the level of the Princes Highway using large quantities of imported soil. Its opening was performed by Rockdale Member of Parliament Brian Bannon and formed part of the expansion of modern suburban retailing across southern Sydney. Southside Plaza originally included a Mark Foy's department store, Woolworths Food Fair, Franklins, an AMF bowling alley and 33 additional stores. The Woolworths Food Fair operation was later rebranded as Flemings during the 1980s before eventually returning to the Woolworths name. A Sunday trash-and-treasure market was also held at the centre. Although the bowling alley was associated with the site, it remained separate from the shopping centre, despite proposals to integrate it. A major setback occurred in 1967, when the Mark Foy's store was extensively damaged by fire. The rebuilt premises subsequently operated as McDowells and then as Waltons from 1972. Waltons relocated to Westfield Hurstville in 1978, leaving the former department-store space unused. During the following years, the opening of Roselands and the redevelopment of Miranda Fair were cited as factors behind weaker trading conditions at Southside Plaza. Various redevelopment concepts were considered, but none was implemented at that stage. Southside Plaza was demolished in 1992, and construction began on a replacement centre. Rockdale Plaza opened on 29 October 1997 with Big W, Franklins, Woolworths and more than 50 specialty shops. The redeveloped centre was intended to provide a contemporary shopping destination for the local area. Expectations that the tenpin bowling alley would be incorporated into the new centre were not fulfilled. The centre's retail composition changed again in the 2010s. Franklins closed in 2013, and its former store was divided between Best & Less and Aldi. Aldi commenced operations on 16 October 2013. Best & Less closed in July 2020, and Chemist Warehouse later occupied its space. Major retailers identified with the centre include Big W, Aldi, Woolworths and Rebel. Rockdale Plaza occupies approximately 35,945 square metres and provides 875 multilevel car-parking spaces. Public transport access includes rail services through nearby Rockdale station on the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line, together with bus links toward St George, the Sutherland Shire and nearby suburbs. Bus services are associated with Transit Systems NSW and U-Go Mobility, with stops concentrated around Princes Highway and Rockdale Plaza Drive. In April 2019, Charter Hall acquired the centre for A$142 million. No further ownership or management details are established by the supplied reference material. Rockdale Plaza remains an active, locally focused shopping centre whose identity is based on convenience, supermarkets, discount retail and access for surrounding Sydney communities.
- 2020
Chemist Warehouse takes former Best & Less space
[1]Best & Less closed in July, and Chemist Warehouse subsequently moved into the vacated premises.
- 2019
Charter Hall purchases the centre
[1]Charter Hall acquired Rockdale Plaza in April 2019 for A$142 million.
- 2013
Aldi joins the tenant mix
[1]After Franklins closed, Aldi opened in part of the divided former supermarket premises on 16 October.
- 1997
Rockdale Plaza opens
[1]The current shopping centre opened on 29 October 1997.
- 1992
Southside Plaza is demolished
[1]The original centre was demolished and construction began on the redevelopment that became Rockdale Plaza.
- 1978
Waltons relocates
[1]Waltons moved to the newly developed Westfield Hurstville, leaving its Southside Plaza premises vacant.
- 1972
Former department-store premises become Waltons
[1]After operating as McDowells following reconstruction, the former Mark Foy's premises were rebranded as Waltons.
- 1967
Mark Foy's store is damaged by fire
[1]The Mark Foy's department store at Southside Plaza suffered extensive fire damage and was subsequently rebuilt.
- 1963
Southside Plaza opens
[1]The predecessor shopping centre opened on 15 August 1963 on the Rockdale site.
Products and positioning
Established community shopping centre serving Rockdale and the surrounding St George area, with a practical everyday-retail mix and strong supermarket and discount-store anchors.
Discount department store · 1997
Big W
A major discount department-store anchor offering broad general merchandise, including household goods, apparel and other everyday consumer products.
Supermarket
Woolworths
A supermarket anchor providing grocery and everyday food shopping for local residents. The site has a longer supermarket history, having previously included Woolworths Food Fair and later Flemings.
Discount supermarket · 2013
Aldi
A discount supermarket that opened at Rockdale Plaza on 16 October 2013 after the closure and subdivision of the former Franklins premises.
Sporting goods retailer
Rebel
A major sporting-goods tenant serving customers seeking sports apparel, equipment and related merchandise.
Pharmacy and health retailer · 2020
Chemist Warehouse
A pharmacy and health-products retailer that moved into the premises previously occupied by Best & Less after that retailer closed in July 2020.
Brand decisions
2019
Charter Hall acquisitionM&ABackground
Rockdale Plaza was offered as an established suburban retail asset.
Action taken
Charter Hall purchased the shopping centre in April 2019.
Aftermath
Charter Hall became the identified owner of the centre.
Purchase price. A$142 million (April 2019)
2013
Reconfiguration after Franklins closureStrategyBackground
Franklins ceased trading at the centre, creating a large vacant retail area.
Action taken
The former Franklins space was divided into two premises for Best & Less and Aldi.
Aftermath
Aldi opened on 16 October 2013, while Best & Less occupied the other portion until closing in 2020.
1992
Redevelopment of the Southside Plaza siteStrategyBackground
Southside Plaza faced weaker trading conditions amid competition from newer or redeveloped centres, including Roselands and Miranda Fair.
Action taken
The original centre was demolished and construction began on a replacement shopping centre.
Aftermath
Rockdale Plaza opened on the site in October 1997 with a larger modern retail format.
Recent events
- 2020
Chemist Warehouse replaces Best & Less premises[1]
Other
Best & Less closed its Rockdale Plaza store in July 2020, after which Chemist Warehouse moved into the vacated space.
- 2019
Charter Hall acquires Rockdale Plaza[1]
M&A
Charter Hall purchased Rockdale Plaza in April 2019 for A$142 million, according to the cited reference.
- 2013
Franklins store closes and Aldi joins the centre[1]
Other
Following the closure of Franklins, the former premises were divided between Best & Less and Aldi. Aldi began trading at Rockdale Plaza on 16 October 2013.
- 1997
Rockdale Plaza opens after redevelopment of the Southside Plaza site[1]
Other
Rockdale Plaza opened on 29 October 1997 with Big W, Franklins, Woolworths and more than 50 specialty stores, replacing the demolished Southside Plaza complex.
Sources2 sources
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