Westfield Marion
A major shopping and entertainment centre in Oaklands Park, Adelaide, South Australia.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Westfield Marion is a large shopping, dining, services and entertainment complex in Oaklands Park, a southern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is widely described as Adelaide's largest shopping centre and is one of Australia's largest retail complexes. The centre occupies land bordered by Sturt Road, Diagonal Road and Morphett Road, giving it a significant role in the commercial life of Adelaide's southern suburbs. The original centre opened in 1968. Since then, Westfield Marion has been expanded and redeveloped several times, with major extensions recorded in 1982, 1989, 1997 and 2016. The 1997 redevelopment was especially important in the centre's history. At that point, the complex became the first South Australian shopping centre to host the state's three major department-store brands—David Jones, Harris Scarfe and Myer—as well as the three principal discount department stores then operating in the state: Big W, Kmart and Target. The expansion increased the centre's floor area to approximately 119,000 square metres. The centre contains approximately 342 stores and combines traditional retail with food, leisure, professional services and community-oriented facilities. Major anchor and destination tenants identified in reference material include David Jones, Myer, Harris Scarfe, Target, Kmart, Big W, Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Rebel Sport and Event Cinemas. Its Event Cinemas complex has 26 screens and is described as the largest cinema complex in the Southern Hemisphere. This entertainment component helps position Westfield Marion as more than a conventional department-store shopping centre, supporting longer visits and a broader regional catchment. Westfield Marion also accommodates services such as legal offices, childcare, health and dental facilities, and other customer-oriented services. The centre's Adelaide Westfield management operations are housed in an eight-storey office block on the eastern side of the complex. The office tower stands near the original mall area, where the food court faces Diagonal Road. The site has also been associated with the head office of Fellas Gifts. A further landmark on the broader site is the South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre, which opened in April 2011 on the northern side. Its presence adds a major sporting and recreational function to the retail precinct and broadens the site's role within the metropolitan community. The ownership structure has changed over time. Scentre Group is associated with the Westfield Marion brand and management of the centre, while Paragon REIT acquired a 50 percent interest from the Australian Prime Property Fund in November 2019. The centre remains an active retail and entertainment destination, although specific current tenant counts, floor area figures and ownership arrangements may change as redevelopment and leasing activity continue.
History
Westfield Marion opened in 1968 on a substantial site in Oaklands Park bordered by Sturt Road, Diagonal Road and Morphett Road. Its development formed part of the expansion of suburban retailing in Adelaide, providing a concentrated shopping destination for communities south of the central business district. Over subsequent decades, the complex was enlarged through extensions in 1982 and 1989, allowing it to accommodate a broader tenant mix and a larger customer catchment. The most consequential redevelopment phase identified in available reference material took place in 1997. The extension brought the centre's floor area to about 119,000 square metres and gave it a particularly comprehensive department-store profile. Westfield Marion became the first shopping centre in South Australia to contain David Jones, Harris Scarfe and Myer at the same time. It also hosted Big W, Kmart and Target, bringing together the state's three principal discount department-store brands then operating. This combination strengthened the centre's position as a regional destination capable of meeting a wide range of household, fashion and general-merchandise needs in one location. The centre subsequently developed beyond a purely retail format. Its tenant and facility mix came to include supermarkets, sporting goods, restaurants, customer services and professional uses. The Event Cinemas complex became a major attraction, with 26 screens and a scale described as the largest cinema complex in the Southern Hemisphere. The site also accommodates an eight-storey office block used for Westfield's Adelaide management operations. Other facilities identified in reference material include legal services, childcare, health and dental services, and the head office of Fellas Gifts. In April 2011, the South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre opened on the northern side of the broader Westfield Marion site. This added a major aquatic and sporting facility to the precinct and expanded its community function beyond shopping and entertainment. A further extension or redevelopment phase was recorded in 2016, although the available reference material does not specify the detailed scope, cost or architectural features of that work. The investment structure changed in November 2019, when Paragon REIT acquired the Australian Prime Property Fund's 50 percent interest. Scentre Group remains associated with the Westfield brand and centre operations, while the transaction made Paragon REIT a co-investor in the asset. Westfield Marion has also experienced the types of security incidents that can affect large public venues. In June 2024, a reported fight involving teenagers and alleged use of expandable batons resulted in a lockdown. The incident occurred in a period of heightened sensitivity around public-place violence in Australia. No broader long-term change to the centre's status is established by the available material. Westfield Marion continues to operate as a major shopping and entertainment complex in Adelaide's southern metropolitan area.
- 2019
Paragon REIT becomes a 50 percent investor
[1]Paragon REIT purchases the Australian Prime Property Fund's 50 percent stake in the centre.
- 2016
Further extension or redevelopment
[1]Westfield Marion undergoes another recorded extension or redevelopment phase.
- 2011
South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre opens
[1]The aquatic and leisure centre opens on the northern side of the Westfield Marion site.
- 1997
Major redevelopment creates a comprehensive department-store offer
[1]A major expansion brings the centre to approximately 119,000 square metres and establishes the South Australian first of hosting David Jones, Harris Scarfe, Myer, Big W, Kmart and Target together.
- 1989
Second recorded major extension
[1]A further extension increases the centre's retail capacity.
- 1982
First recorded major extension
[1]The centre undergoes an expansion as part of its long-term growth.
- 1968
Original centre opens
[1]Westfield Marion opens in Oaklands Park on land bordered by Sturt, Diagonal and Morphett Roads.
Products and positioning
A large regional shopping, dining and entertainment destination serving Adelaide and the city's southern suburbs.
Retail
Department stores
Westfield Marion's department-store offer has included David Jones, Myer and Harris Scarfe. These anchors provide fashion, homewares, beauty, electrical and general merchandise, and were central to the centre's significance after the 1997 redevelopment.
Retail
Discount department stores
The centre has hosted Big W, Kmart and Target, giving shoppers access to lower-priced apparel, household goods, toys, general merchandise and seasonal products. Their simultaneous presence was identified as a South Australian first in the 1997 redevelopment period.
Food retail
Supermarkets and grocery
Woolworths, Coles and Aldi are identified among the centre's major tenants. These supermarkets complement the non-food retail offer and support frequent, convenience-oriented visits by nearby households.
Entertainment
Event Cinemas
The Event Cinemas complex has 26 screens and is described in reference material as the largest cinema complex in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a major entertainment anchor within the centre and extends the site's use beyond daytime shopping.
Shopping-centre services
Retail, dining and services precinct
The wider centre combines fashion, sporting goods, food and dining with legal, childcare, health and dental services. This mixed-use offer is designed to serve both planned shopping trips and routine community needs.
Recent events
- 2024
Fight at Westfield Marion leads to centre lockdown[1]
Other
In June 2024, a fight involving a group of teenagers occurred at the centre. Reports said expandable batons were involved and that the confrontation was connected to the alleged theft of a hoodie. The shopping centre was placed into lockdown amid heightened public concern following the Bondi Junction stabbings earlier that year.
- 2019
Paragon REIT acquires a 50 percent interest in Westfield Marion[1]
M&A
Paragon REIT purchased the Australian Prime Property Fund's 50 percent stake in the shopping centre, changing the investment ownership structure associated with Westfield Marion.
Sources2 sources
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