Highpoint Shopping Centre is a super regional
shopping centre
A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof.
The first known collec ...
located in
Maribyrnong, Victoria
Maribyrnong () is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Maribyrnong local government area. Maribyrnong recorded a population of 12,573 at the . ...
, in the western suburbs of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
.
Highpoint is Victoria's third largest shopping centre and the
fifth largest in Australia, with an annual turnover of $778 million and over 15 million shoppers visiting each year.
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.
History
Highpoint is built on a hill which looks out over the
Maribyrnong River
The Maribyrnong River is a perennial river of the Port Phillip catchment, located in the northwestern suburbs of Melbourne, in the Australian state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria.
Course
The Maribyrnong River draws its headwaters from near ...
to Melbourne's
CBD, hence its name. An anti-aircraft battery operated on the site during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
for protection of the surrounding military bases and ammunition works in Maidstone and Maribyrnong.
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
The City of Essendon was a local government area about northwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1861 until 1994.
History
Essendon was first incorporated as a borough on ...
for $1.85 million in April 1971, with permission required also from the
City of Sunshine
The City of Sunshine was a local government area about west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994.
History
The local area was first incorporated as the Braybro ...
as the quarry was also located in that local government area.
Highpoint West opened in September 1975. Built by Development Underwriting Ltd. for $12,000,000.
[http://www.starweekly.com.au/classifieds/from-the-archives/]
Named originally "Westland" to fit in with other shopping centres,
Northland, etc., it opened as "Highpoint West".
It was later renamed "Highpoint City", and then just "Highpoint".
Redevelopment
2011 - 2013
The most recent rounds of expansion and redevelopment occurred in two stages, commencing in March 2011.
[ An additional 30,000 m² was added including the first David Jones department store in Melbourne's western suburbs. Expansions, over two levels, incorporated traffic flow improvements, an additional 1,000 car spaces and 100 extra speciality retailers. The first stage of the redevelopment opened 18 October 2012 included a new Woolworths as well as a Fresh Food Market, and an improved car park with "Park Assist" technology. The second stage opened on 14 March 2013 including the David Jones store over two levels, an ]Apple Store
The Apple Store is a chain of Retail, retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc. The stores sell various Apple products, including Macintosh, Mac personal computers, iPhone smartphones, iPad tablet computers, Apple Watch smartwatches, Apple ...
, Australia's 2nd Samsung Experience store, a Topshop clothing store (now closed and replaced by Uniqlo) and a Zara clothing store along with 98 specialty stores and an extra 1,000 car spaces. One of the redevelopments aims was to improve the centre's sustainability.
Highpoint Urban Village plan
In 2021, GPT approved the Highpoint Urban Village plan, a development plan for an urban village
In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village ide ...
composed of a mixture of residential and commercial uses, community facilities, green open spaces and provision for additional retail.
Ownership
Until 2006, Highpoint was wholly owned by Melbourne's Besen family (also owners of the Sussan
Sussan is an Australian women's fashion retailer, owned and operated by the Sussan Group (ARJ Holdings), who also own and operate Sportsgirl and Suzanne Grae.
History
The first Sussan store opened on Little Collins Street, Melbourne selling lin ...
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.
In September 2017, GPT bought the remaining 50% of Highpoint for $680 million. The Highpoint complex was independently valued at $2.3 billion in late 2016.
References
External links
*
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.
{{Coord, 37, 46, 24, S, 144, 53, 09, E, type:landmark, display=title
Shopping centres in Melbourne
Shopping malls established in 1975
Maribyrnong, Victoria
Buildings and structures in the City of Maribyrnong
1975 establishments in Australia