Watergardens Town Centre

Watergardens Town Centre is a large regional shopping complex in Taylors Lakes, approximately 24 kilometres north-west of central Melbourne, Victoria. The centre combines a traditional enclosed shopping mall with a separate homemaker precinct and benefits from direct access to Watergardens railway station and surrounding bus services. Its catchment includes residential communities in Melbourne's north-west, making it both a retail destination and a local transport-oriented activity centre. The site was acquired by Queensland Investment Corporation in February 1995. Construction began in October 1996, and the first stage opened on 29 September 1997 as Watergardens Shopping Centre. The original development was planned around major supermarket, department-store, cinema and discount-retail anchors, including Bi-Lo, Hoyts, Woolworths and Target. The Watergardens name was reportedly inspired by nearby Taylors Creek, linking the commercial development to its local setting. The complex expanded beyond its original mall format with the opening of the adjacent Watergardens Town Centre Homemaker Centre in 2001. That precinct was enlarged to approximately 15,000 square metres of retail space in 2002 and added a home-improvement and large-format retail dimension. The centre's transport role also strengthened in 2002 when the railway station opened as part of the extension of suburban rail services to Sydenham, now associated with the Sunbury line. QIC obtained naming rights to the station, creating a close connection between the centre's brand and the local public-transport interchange. A major second retail expansion was announced in 2003 and constructed from December 2005. Although originally scheduled to open in April 2007, the enlarged area opened in May 2007. It added retailers including Big W, JB Hi-Fi and a second Woolworths supermarket. The scale of the development was demonstrated by the reported attendance of more than 45,000 customers on 23 December 2007. A proposed Myer department store was discussed in 2008 but was ultimately abandoned in 2012. The centre was subsequently modernised through a 2019–2020 redevelopment known as The Marketplace. This project included the closure of the Coles supermarket, which had previously operated as Bi-Lo, and the introduction of Aldi. The tenant mix continued to evolve during the national restructuring of Target, with the Target store replaced by Kmart in 2021. In June 2023, the second Woolworths supermarket closed, prompting a further reconfiguration of the South Mall. The resulting retail changes included the arrival of TK Maxx and the relocation or expansion of Cotton On Mega, Kathmandu, Rebel Sport and EB Games Australia. These South Mall works opened to customers on 7 March 2024. Today, Watergardens Town Centre has more than 115,000 square metres of floor space and approximately 250 stores, according to the cited reference material. Its principal retail offer includes supermarkets, discount department stores, electronics, sporting goods, fashion, entertainment and dining. The wider precinct includes Bunnings and Harvey Norman in the homemaker area, while rooftop entertainment facilities include Zone Bowling and Timezone. The centre's current proposition is therefore based on convenience, broad household coverage, entertainment and transport accessibility rather than on a single luxury or specialist retail identity.

Watergardens Town Centre developed during the expansion of Melbourne's north-western suburbs. Queensland Investment Corporation acquired the site in February 1995, and construction began in October 1996. The first stage opened on 29 September 1997 as Watergardens Shopping Centre. It contained around 100 specialty stores and was anchored by a combination of supermarket, department-store and entertainment tenants, including Bi-Lo, Hoyts, Woolworths and Target. The name Watergardens was reportedly selected with reference to nearby Taylors Creek. The retail precinct expanded beyond the original mall in 2001 with the opening of the Watergardens Town Centre Homemaker Centre. Its retail area reached approximately 15,000 square metres in 2002, creating space for large-format home and household retailers. The centre's accessibility also changed substantially in 2002 when Watergardens railway station opened following the extension of metropolitan rail services from St Albans to Sydenham. QIC purchased naming rights to the station, helping associate the Watergardens identity with the public-transport interchange. In 2003, a further expansion was announced for land south of the existing complex. Construction began in December 2005, and the project opened in May 2007 after a delay from the original April opening target. The expansion added Big W, JB Hi-Fi and a second Woolworths supermarket. The enlarged centre attracted a reported crowd of more than 45,000 people on 23 December 2007. A Myer store was proposed in 2008, but the proposal was later abandoned in 2012. The complex entered another redevelopment cycle in 2019–2020. The resulting Marketplace project included the closure of the Coles supermarket, which had earlier operated under the Bi-Lo name, and the addition of Aldi. Tenant changes continued in 2021 when Target was replaced by Kmart as part of Target's broader Australian restructuring. The second Woolworths supermarket closed in June 2023. This led to a redesign of the South Mall, including the introduction of TK Maxx and the relocation or enlargement of Cotton On Mega, Kathmandu, Rebel Sport and EB Games Australia. The refreshed South Mall opened on 7 March 2024. The centre now operates as a large regional retail and entertainment precinct with more than 115,000 square metres of floor space and approximately 250 stores, together with a nearby homemaker complex. Its tenant mix includes Woolworths, Aldi, Big W, Kmart, Rebel Sport, JB Hi-Fi and Hoyts. The adjacent homemaker area includes Bunnings and Harvey Norman, while rooftop facilities include Zone Bowling and Timezone. Rail and bus connections make the site both a shopping destination and an important interchange for the surrounding suburbs.

• 2024

  South Mall revamp opens

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The redesigned South Mall opened on 7 March with new and expanded retail tenants.

• 2023

  Second Woolworths closes

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The second Woolworths supermarket, opened in the 2007 expansion, closed in June.

• 2021

  Kmart replaces Target

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Kmart replaced Target at the centre during Target's nationwide restructuring.

• 2020

  The Marketplace completed

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  A redevelopment completed in 2020 added The Marketplace and Aldi while the Coles store closed.

• 2007

  Major retail expansion opens

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The southern expansion opened with Big W, JB Hi-Fi and a second Woolworths supermarket.

• 2002

  Homemaker expansion and railway connection

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The homemaker precinct expanded, and Watergardens railway station opened beside the centre.

• 2001

  Homemaker centre opens

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The adjacent Watergardens Town Centre Homemaker Centre opened.

• 1997

  Shopping centre opens

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Watergardens Shopping Centre opened on 29 September with approximately 100 specialty stores.

• 1996

  Construction begins

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of the original shopping centre commenced in October 1996.

• 1995

  Site acquired by Queensland Investment Corporation

  [1]Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Queensland Investment Corporation purchased the development site in February 1995.

A broad-based, transport-connected regional shopping destination for Melbourne's north-west, combining everyday grocery and discount retail with fashion, electronics, home improvement, dining and family entertainment.

• Shopping centre · 1997

  Regional shopping mall

  The main mall provides a broad mix of supermarket, discount department-store, fashion, electronics, sporting-goods, dining and specialty retail. Its anchor and major tenants have changed over time as the centre has been expanded and reconfigured.

• Retail precinct · 2020

  The Marketplace

  The Marketplace is the retail area created through the 2019–2020 redevelopment. Its changes included the closure of the former Coles supermarket and the introduction of Aldi, reflecting a revised supermarket and everyday-needs offer.

• Home-improvement retail · 2001

  Homemaker Centre

  The adjacent homemaker complex extends the centre into large-format household, hardware, furniture and home-improvement retail. Identified tenants include Bunnings and Harvey Norman.

• Entertainment · 1997

  Entertainment precinct

  Entertainment offerings include Hoyts cinema and rooftop Zone Bowling and Timezone facilities, giving the centre a family-oriented leisure component alongside shopping.

• 2023

  Reconfigure the South Mall after supermarket closureStrategy

  Background

  The second Woolworths supermarket closed in June 2023, leaving space for a new South Mall tenant configuration.

  Action taken

  The centre introduced TK Maxx and relocated or expanded Cotton On Mega, Kathmandu, Rebel Sport and EB Games Australia.

  Aftermath

  The refreshed South Mall opened on 7 March 2024 with a more varied fashion, outdoor, sporting and entertainment-oriented tenant mix.

  Source

• 2021

  Replace Target with KmartGeneration change

  Background

  Target stores were being restructured across Australia.

  Action taken

  The Target store at Watergardens was replaced by Kmart.

  Aftermath

  The discount department-store offer continued under the Kmart brand.

  Source

• 2019

  Redevelop the centre as The MarketplaceGeneration change

  Background

  The centre required a major refresh and reconfiguration of its retail offer.

  Action taken

  The 2019–2020 project created The Marketplace, closed the Coles store and introduced Aldi.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment updated the supermarket and everyday-retail mix.

  Source

• 2012

  Abandon proposed Myer department storeStrategy

  Background

  A Myer branch had been planned for the centre from 2008.

  Action taken

  The proposal was ultimately scrapped in 2012.

  Aftermath

  The centre continued without the proposed Myer anchor and later pursued other redevelopment and tenant-mix changes.

  Source

• 2003

  Approve a major southern expansionStrategy

  Background

  The centre planned to increase its retail capacity and add new large-format anchors south of the existing complex.

  Action taken

  Construction commenced in December 2005, and the expanded area opened in May 2007 with Big W, JB Hi-Fi and a second Woolworths supermarket.

  Aftermath

  The expansion materially broadened the centre's tenant mix and capacity.

  Source

1. 1Watergardens Town Centreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Watergardens Town Centre official websitewatergardens.com.au