Sunshine Plaza

Sunshine Plaza is a large regional shopping centre in Maroochydore, Queensland, serving the Sunshine Coast retail and leisure market. The centre began trading in 1980 as The Sands Shopping Centre and was subsequently acquired by Lendlease in 1990. Following a substantial redevelopment, it reopened in 1994 under the Sunshine Plaza name. The change created a larger and more integrated shopping destination and established the centre as a major commercial landmark for the region. The centre combines department stores, supermarkets, discount department stores, specialty retail, food and beverage venues, entertainment and visitor-oriented leisure uses. Its major tenants have included Coles, Woolworths, Myer, Kmart, Target, Big W, David Jones, H&M, JB Hi-Fi, Mecca, Sephora and Rebel. Entertainment facilities include a 12-screen Birch Carroll & Coyle cinema complex. The centre's tenant mix has therefore covered everyday grocery shopping, apparel, beauty, electronics, sporting goods, department-store retail and dining. An expansion completed in 2002 added a Woolworths supermarket, a new leisure and restaurant precinct and additional capacity for the cinema complex. These changes broadened Sunshine Plaza beyond a conventional shopping-centre format and reinforced its role as an all-day destination. The centre has also undergone changes in ownership interests and investment arrangements. In 1999, the Westfield Group was announced as taking a 25 percent interest, subject to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission clearance, while General Property Trust sought to sell its stake and Lendlease asserted pre-emptive rights. A further major redevelopment began in September 2016. The project was initially described as a $400 million makeover and involved extending the centre westward along Cornmeal Creek, adding a David Jones department-store site, expanding Myer, creating additional specialty retail and restaurant space and increasing parking capacity. When the redevelopment opened to the public in March 2019, reporting described the investment as $440 million. The project added a one-level David Jones, a two-level H&M store and a new-format Big W store. It increased the reported number of stores from 276 to 345 and brought parking capacity to almost 5,000 spaces. Following the redevelopment, the centre was reported to contain approximately 107,000 square metres of total floor space, while earlier descriptions had cited approximately 62,000 square metres before later expansions and changes in measurement. Sunshine Plaza also expanded its leisure offer with the opening of a high-ropes attraction in November 2020, described as the largest in Australia at the time. Lendlease is identified as the centre's manager. Sunshine Plaza remains an active regional shopping and entertainment destination whose identity is based on scale, convenience, a broad tenant mix and integration with the Sunshine Coast's growing urban and tourism economy.

Sunshine Plaza's retail history began in 1980, when the site operated as The Sands Shopping Centre in Maroochydore, Queensland. The centre later became part of Lendlease's property portfolio when Lendlease purchased it in 1990 and initiated redevelopment work. The rebuilt centre began trading in 1994 under the Sunshine Plaza name, marking the transition from the earlier shopping-centre format to a larger regional destination. The centre expanded during the following decade. In 2002, a project added a Woolworths supermarket, created a leisure and restaurant precinct and enlarged the Birch Carroll & Coyle cinema complex. These additions strengthened the centre's combination of everyday retail, food, entertainment and leisure uses. The centre has been described as the largest shopping centre on the Sunshine Coast and has served a broad regional catchment rather than only the immediate Maroochydore locality. Ownership interests became the subject of a proposed transaction in 1999. The Westfield Group was announced as intending to acquire a 25 percent stake, subject to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approval. General Property Trust had sought to sell its interest, but Lendlease, through APPF Retail, argued that it had exercised pre-emptive rights over the centre. The episode reflected the complex ownership and investment arrangements common to large Australian shopping centres. A new expansion cycle began in September 2016 with a proposed investment initially valued at $400 million. Plans called for the centre to extend west along Cornmeal Creek, add a David Jones store, expand Myer, create roughly 100 additional specialty retail and restaurant spaces and provide approximately 1,400 more car spaces. The redevelopment opened in March 2019, with reported investment of $440 million. Its principal additions included a one-level David Jones, a two-level H&M store and a new-concept Big W. The reported store count rose from 276 to 345, while total parking capacity increased to nearly 5,000 spaces. After the major redevelopment, Sunshine Plaza was reported to have approximately 107,000 square metres of total floor space and 345 stores. Its tenant mix included supermarkets, department stores, discount department stores, fashion, beauty, electronics, sporting goods, restaurants and other specialty retail. The centre also retained its 12-screen Birch Carroll & Coyle cinema complex. In November 2020, a high-ropes attraction opened, extending the centre's leisure offer and adding a destination-oriented activity beyond conventional shopping and cinema. Lendlease is identified as Sunshine Plaza's manager. The centre remains an active regional retail property and leisure destination in Maroochydore. Its development has proceeded through successive phases: the original Sands centre, the 1994 Sunshine Plaza redevelopment, the 2002 expansion and the large 2016–2019 transformation. The resulting property combines shopping, dining, entertainment and leisure functions and occupies a central position in the commercial life of Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

• 2020

  High-ropes attraction opens

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  A high-ropes attraction opens as an additional leisure feature at the centre.

• 2019

  Redevelopment opens

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  The completed redevelopment opens with David Jones, H&M, Big W and expanded store and parking capacity.

• 2016

  Large-scale redevelopment commences

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  A planned $400 million redevelopment begins, including new department-store, retail, dining and parking capacity.

• 2002

  Expansion adds supermarket, dining and cinema capacity

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  The centre adds Woolworths, a leisure and restaurant precinct and an expanded Birch Carroll & Coyle cinema complex.

• 1999

  Proposed Westfield stake

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  A proposed 25 percent Westfield Group interest becomes subject to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission clearance and a dispute over pre-emptive rights.

• 1994

  Sunshine Plaza opens under its current name

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  The redeveloped centre begins trading as Sunshine Plaza.

• 1990

  Lendlease acquires the centre

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Lendlease purchases the shopping centre and begins redevelopment planning and work.

• 1980

  The Sands Shopping Centre begins trading

  [1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  The site begins operating as The Sands Shopping Centre in Maroochydore.

Sunshine Plaza is positioned as a large, full-service regional shopping and entertainment destination for the Sunshine Coast. Its proposition combines essential shopping with department stores, specialty retail, dining, cinema and leisure attractions, supported by substantial parking and a broad tenant base.

• Regional shopping centre · 1994

  Shopping centre retail destination

  Sunshine Plaza provides a large multi-category retail environment with department stores, supermarkets, discount department stores and specialty retailers. Its tenant mix has included Coles, Woolworths, Myer, Kmart, Target, Big W, David Jones, H&M, JB Hi-Fi, Mecca, Sephora and Rebel, covering grocery, fashion, beauty, electronics, sporting goods and general merchandise.

• Cinema and entertainment

  Birch Carroll & Coyle cinema complex

  The centre includes a 12-screen Birch Carroll & Coyle cinema complex. The cinema was expanded as part of the 2002 development, supporting Sunshine Plaza's role as an entertainment destination as well as a retail property.

• Food and leisure · 2002

  Food, restaurant and leisure precinct

  Sunshine Plaza's offer includes restaurants, food venues and leisure uses integrated into the wider shopping-centre environment. A dedicated leisure and restaurant precinct was added during the 2002 expansion, and later redevelopment further increased dining and specialty-retail capacity.

• Leisure attraction · 2020

  High-ropes attraction

  A high-ropes attraction opened at Sunshine Plaza in November 2020. It broadened the centre's destination and leisure proposition beyond shopping, dining and cinema.

• 2019

  Open the completed redevelopmentProduct launch

  Background

  The multi-year redevelopment was intended to refresh Sunshine Plaza's retail offer and add major national and international tenants.

  Action taken

  The centre opened a one-level David Jones, a two-level H&M and a new-concept Big W, alongside expanded retail and parking facilities.

  Aftermath

  Reported store numbers increased from 276 to 345, and parking capacity reached nearly 5,000 spaces.

  Source

• 2016

  Approve a major redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The centre planned a substantial physical and tenant-mix expansion to maintain its position as a leading Sunshine Coast retail destination.

  Action taken

  The planned project extended west along Cornmeal Creek and included David Jones, an expanded Myer, approximately 100 additional specialty retail and restaurant spaces and about 1,400 additional car spaces.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment opened in 2019 and increased the reported store count to 345 and parking capacity to nearly 5,000 spaces.

  Redevelopment investment. $400 million planned investment → $440 million reported investment at opening (2016-2019)

  Source

• 2002

  Expand the centre's retail and leisure mixStrategy

  Background

  The centre sought to strengthen its regional-destination role and increase the range of services available to visitors.

  Action taken

  A Woolworths supermarket, leisure and restaurant precinct and expanded cinema complex were added.

  Aftermath

  The expansion broadened Sunshine Plaza's combination of grocery, dining and entertainment uses.

  Source

• 2020

  High-ropes attraction opens at Sunshine Plaza[1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  A high-ropes attraction opened at Sunshine Plaza. It was described in reference material as the largest attraction of its kind in Australia at the time.

• 2019

  Major Sunshine Plaza redevelopment opens[1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product launch

  A major redevelopment opened to the public after an investment reported at approximately $440 million. The project added David Jones, a two-level H&M store and a new-format Big W, increasing the centre from 276 to 345 stores and expanding parking to nearly 5,000 spaces.

• 1999

  Westfield Group interest in Sunshine Plaza announced[1]Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Regulation

  The Westfield Group was announced as taking a 25 percent interest in Sunshine Plaza, subject to clearance from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The proposed transaction followed General Property Trust's intention to sell its stake, while Lendlease argued that it had pre-emptive rights.

1. 1Sunshine Plazaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Sunshine Plaza official websitesunshineplaza.com