Highpoint Shopping Centre

Highpoint Shopping Centre

Highpoint Logo
Location	Maribyrnong, Victoria, Australia
Opening date	1975
Developer	GPT Group
Management	GPT Group
Owner	GPT Group
No. of stores and services	400+
No. of anchor tenants	7
Total retail floor area	126,000 m²
Parking	over 6,200
No. of floors	4
Website	http://www.highpoint.com.au

Highpoint Shopping Centre is a major shopping centre located in Maribyrnong, Victoria, in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The centre has over 400 stores including a four-level Myer department store, Target, Big W, Harris Scarfe, Safeway supermarket, Best and Less, Rebel Sport, Toys R Us, JB Hi-Fi and a 17 screen Hoyts cinema and an IMAX theatre. It is the largest shopping centre serving Melbourne's western and north western suburbs, an area with a population of at least half a million people.

Highpoint is Victoria's fifth-largest shopping centre and the 10th-largest in Australia, with an annual turnover of $778 million and over 15 million shoppers visiting each year.

Highpoint is currently undergoing a $300 million two-stage redevelopment which will include a David Jones department store, which will be completed by late 2013.

History

Highpoint is built on a hill which looks out over the Maribyrnong River to Melbourne's CBD, hence its name. An anti-aircraft battery operated on the site during World War II for protection of the surrounding military bases and ammunition works in Maidstone and Maribyrnong.^{[citation needed]}

The 50-acre site was previously a quarry, as can be seen by the quarry cliff face walls of the lower carparks. The land was sold by the City of Essendon for $1.85 million in April 1971, with permission required also from the City of Sunshine as the quarry was also located in that local government area. Construction of the initial stage of the shopping complex cost $11 million.

Named originally "Westland Shopping Centre" then "Highpoint West Shopping Centre" it was later renamed "Highpoint City Shopping Centre". It is now simply marketed as "Highpoint". It is sometimes ironically referred to as Knifepoint.

Redevelopment

The redevelopment commenced in March 2011 and will boast an extra 30,000 m² and will include the West Melbourne's first David Jones over two levels, a renovated Woolworths and Fresh Food Hall, better traffic flow, an extra 1,000 car spaces and 100 new specialty retailers. The development will be constructed in two stages. The first stage which is estimated to be completed by late 2012 will include a new Woolworths as well as a Fresh Food Market, and an improved car park with "Park Assist" technology. The second stage which will be completed by early 2013 will include the David Jones store, 100 specialty stores and an extra 1,000 car spaces. The redevelopment also aims to improve the centre's sustainability.

Facilities

Highpoint has 126,000 m² of floor space on four levels. By 2013 the addition of David Jones and an extra 100 shops will expand the total retail space to 156,000 sq m.

Level One

• Youth & Entertainment
• Hoyts Cinema Complex

Level Two

• Rebel Sport
• Best & Less
• Woolworths
• Harris Scarfe
• Howards Storage World

Level Three

• New Food Court
• Big W
• Target

Level Four

• Professional suites
• Centre management

Opposite the main Highpoint centre on Rosamond Road there are a large number of other stores and businesses, including Bunnings Warehouse, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith Powerhouse, another JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, an AMF Bowling Center, The Good Guys and a large number of homeware and furniture retailers in a section called "Homemaker City" such as Freedom and Barbeques Galore. One of the branches of Maribyrnong Library Service is located at the front of the shopping centre on Rosamond Rd.

Ownership

Until 2006, Highpoint was wholly owned by Melbourne's Besen family (also owners of the Sussan retail chain). In March 2006, the GPT (General Property Trust) Group purchased a 50% stake and management rights in the centre for about A$621.2 million.

Transport

There are no trains in the area. Melbourne tram route 82 (Footscray to Moonee Ponds) while Melbourne tram route 57 (West Maribyrnong to City) is 450 metres away on Raleigh Rd.

Highpoint Shopping Centre is serviced by the following bus routes:

• 215 Caroline Springs
• 223 Williamstown Road, Yarraville
• 406 Footscray - Keilor East (Footscray is 4km away)
• 407 Avondale Heights
• 408 St. Albans
• 468 Essendon

Bicycle racks can be found at both the "Atrium Level 2" and the "Riverbank" entrances.

External links

• Highpoint Shopping Centre - Official site.

References

• accessibility.com.au - Highpoint Shopping Centre Disability information resource reports on accessibility of this shopping centre for users of wheelchairs or baby strollers.
• Australian Steel Institute Steel Design Awards - 2006 - Highpoint Shopping Centre - Southern Extension Discusses how steel trusses were used for a complex dome structure in this building extension. This was the winner in the "small project" category.