Watergardens Town Centre

Watergardens Town Centre is a super regional shopping centre located in Taylors Lakes, 24 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, Victoria. It opened in 1997, and is owned by the Queensland Investment Corporation.

Watergardens Town Centre
Coordinates37°41′58″S 144°46′33″E
AddressMelton Highway
Taylors Lakes, Victoria
Australia
Opening date29 September 1997 (1997-09-29)
DeveloperQueensland Investment Corporation
OwnerQueensland Investment Corporation
No. of stores and services224
Total retail floor area115,000 m2 (1,240,000 sq ft)
No. of floors1
Parking4,700
Public transit accessWatergardens station
Websitewatergardens.qicgre.com

History

The site was purchased by the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) in February 1995, with construction commencing in October 1996. The initial proposal for the site included 30,000 m2 (320,000 sq ft) of retail space at the cost of A$100,000,000 (equivalent to $174,351,585 in 2018) , with anchor tenants Bi-Lo, Hoyts, Safeway and Target.[1] The centre opened as Watergardens Shopping Centre on 29 September 1997 with 100 speciality stores:[2] the name Watergardens was reportedly chosen in homage of the adjacent Taylors Creek.[3]

The adjacent Watergardens Town Centre Homemaker Centre opened in 2001, expanding to 15,000 m2 (160,000 sq ft) of retail space in 2002.[4] Watergardens railway station was also opened in 2002 following the extension of M-Train St Albans services to Sydenham, with QIC purchasing the naming rights to the station.[5]

A further expansion to the centre was announced in 2003, adding a further 25,000 m2 (270,000 sq ft) of retail space to the complex.[6] Construction commenced in December 2005 and was originally planned to open in April 2007, but was delayed until May of that year.[7] A record crowd attended the centre on 23 December 2007, with more than 45,000 customers attending the centre.[8]

Transport connections

Watergardens is serviced by the adjacent Watergardens railway station, with all Metro Trains Sunbury line and some V/Line Bendigo line trains stopping at the station.[9][10][11] Seven bus routes originate at Watergardens station, with the 476 to Moonee Ponds Junction making additional stops to the north of the main complex building and outside the homemaker centre complex.[12]

Tenants

Watergardens Town Centre has more than 115,000 m2 (1,240,000 sq ft) of floor space, comprising 250 stores including two Woolworths supermarkets, Aldi, Big W, Target, Rebel Sport, JB Hi-Fi, Hoyts and Zone Bowling. Tenants at the adjacent homemaker centre include Bunnings Warehouse and Harvey Norman.

See also

References
  1. Barrymore, Karina (7 November 1996). "Vic centre signs anchor tenants". The Australian Financial Review. Fairfax Media.
  2. "Watergardens opens with high visitation figures". Inside Retailing. 3 November 1997. Factiva insret0020011001dtb3001h4.
  3. "Full marks to Queensland Investment Corporation". Inside Retailing. 25 November 1996. Factiva insret0020011018dsbp0005u.
  4. "Richard O'Brien & Associates appointed leasing agent for the second stage of the Watergardens Town Centre Homemaker Centre". Inside Retailing. 1 October 2001. Factiva insret0020011003dxa10006b.
  5. "Silence on what's in a name". Brimbank Messenger. News Limited. 29 January 2002.
  6. Cameron, Kellie (25 February 2003). "Centre begins to grow". Brimbank Messenger. News Limited.
  7. Cameron, Kellie (3 April 2007). "Centre unextended". Brimbank Leader. News Limited.
  8. Cameron, Kellie (5 February 2008). "Record crowd at shopping centre". Brimbank Leader. News Limited.
  9. "Sunbury Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  10. Bendigo - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
  11. Swan Hill - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
  12. "476 Moonee Ponds - Watergardens via Keilor". Public Transport Victoria.
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