Cairns business: Melbourne developer pitches new Far North retail precinct

A Melbourne development firm has come forward with a bold $50m retail vision in a sure sign of confidence in the future of this Tablelands town.

MAREEBA will be home to a new shopping centre featuring Woolworths if a $50m plan by a Melbourne-based development group proceeds.

Sphere Group Development, which has specialised in stylish affordable housing developments to date, has bought the 1.52ha parcel of land at 232 Byrnes St – right across the road from Coles.

The site, on the corner of Rankin St and diagonally opposite McDonald’s, was home to a saw mill until about 1986, and has sat vacant since.

Sphere director Greg Ritchie said the company would own the site and had a long-term agreement from Woolworths to build and lease back a supermarket in a shopping centre of 4500sq m.

Woolworths would be the anchor tenant at a proposed new shopping centre on Byrnes St in Mareeba.

If the Mareeba project goes ahead, it will add a new player to a concentrated group of shopping centre owners in the Far North.

“There will be 1000sq m of specialty stores and we’ve held preliminary meetings with Mareeba Shire Council and they’re very keen for it to proceed,” Mr Ritchie said.

“Woolworths has seen the demand, we plan to be open by mid-2024.”

A Woolworths spokeswoman confirmed the supermarket giant was in talks with Sphere.

“We have a longstanding interest in the Mareeba area and we’re continuing discussions with Sphere Group Development,” she said.

“We look forward to providing more updates in due course.”

Mr Ritchie said a development application would be lodged with council late this month or in March.

“Another supermarket is really needed in Mareeba, Coles is under the pump, and a lot of business from farms and cattle stations is done online,” Mr Ritchie said.

“We lease it to Woolworths, we are the property owners, and Woolworths are super keen to get going, so they are the anchor tenant in the centre and specialty stores will enhance it,” he said.

“We are in talks with BWS, a chemist, a bakery, and Hungry Jacks might go on the site, but nothing is confirmed except Woolworths.”

The Woolworths store would span 3400sq m.

Mareeba is progressing with new residential developments under way and a proposed new shopping centre. Picture: supplied

“We have done our research and talked to locals and they are keen as well,” Mr Ritchie said.

He said there were plans for a covered car park.

Sphere Group Development has focused on residential land subdivision and building of quality, entry level, affordable housing for first-home buyers, downsizers and investors.

But Mr Ritchie has a soft spot for Mareeba, with family ties. He has property interests in the town and has developed affordable housing in the Tablelands town.

“I like the people, the culture, the Italian and European mixed with the North Queensland laid-back culture, it is very different to the southern states,.” he said.

Mareeba Mayor Angela Toppin said council looked forward to receiving the development application.

“ I look forward to being able to consider this application once it is put before us,” she said.

“We certainly support and encourage appropriate development in our shire.”

The closest Woolworths at present is in Atherton, which is also home to an extremely popular and large IGA store with a vast range of delicatessen products.

Innisfail and Mossman both have Woolworths stores and there are seven Woolworths stores in Cairns.

Smithfield Shopping Centre is booming, with many Tablelands families heading down the hill to shop, as well as servicing the fast growing northern beaches suburbs.

Originally published as Cairns business: Melbourne developer pitches new Far North retail precinct