Woolworths Gordonvale’s $20m build on track

A number of specialty retailers and food outlets will join supermarket giant Woolworths when a new shopping centre opens south of Cairns. FIND OUT MORE

THE construction of a $20m shopping centre at Gordonvale is well under way with Woolworths confident of meeting its mid-year opening schedule.

On Tuesday senior staff from the retail giant and Adco Constructions gave a site tour to Cairns Regional Council’s Planning, Growth and Sustainability director Ed Johnstone, Mayor Bob Manning, Councillor Brett Moller and state Member for Mulgrave, Curtis Pitt, led by Woolworths state development manager Chris Sheehan.

Mr Sheehan confirmed the majority of leases of adjoining speciality businesses in the centre had been signed and include Coco Sushi, Malaysia Noodle House, a discount pharmacy, JSL Phone Repairs, a cigarette retailer and a cafe with outdoor seating.

Woolworths Gordonvale project manager Luellen Burton of ADCO Constructions, Woolworths state development manager Chris Sheehan and regional development manager Marissa Hopewell stand inside the new supermarket. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We are also in negotiation with a petrol outlet, fast food retailers and a gym outside the centre,” he said.

It’s a significant step forward for the centre, dating back to Cairns Regional Council’s initial rejection of the project in 2010 and its subsequent Planning and Environment Court appeal loss in 2013 which cost ratepayers about $600,000.

There will be a Malaysian food business, a sushi business, a phone kiosk and a bottle shop on the corner of the Bruce Highway and Draper Road at Gordonvale. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Sheehan said Woolworths was already taking applications for the 130 jobs the supermarket would need to fill to the store which would carry 45,000 products running smoothly.

“We cannot open with a completely new workforce so will have a mix of experienced and newer staff,” he said.

“The Gordonvale Woolworths will look very similar in layout and design to the Cairns Central store and will have 45,000 product lines.”

The construction of the $20m shopping centre is under way on Bruce Highway and Draper Road at Gordonvale. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Sheehan said the design included “an eight car undercover drive-through direct to boot” area.

“This centre was on the books before Covid but it’s accelerated how we shop, such as the direct to boot,” he said.

“And the centre will have a sustainable footprint with a four-star, green star rating, with the supermarket running on a 300Kw solar system and the aircon running on a 100kw system and there are also rainwater harvesting tanks.”

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Woolworths regional development manager Marissa Hopewell said they had commissioned local Indigenous artist Michael Bolyool Anning’s work which would run on the highway side of the building.

Woolworths began construction on a new full line supermarket with attached specialty stores and eateries on the corner of the Bruce Highway and Draper Road at Gordonvale. Picture: Brendan Radke

“A combination of his designs will be reproduced and installed on the facade facing the highway,” she said.

Mr Sheehan said with Cairns being a popular tourist destination they had designed the carpark to accommodate longer parking bays for campervans and trailers.

There will be specialty stores and eateries on the corner of the Bruce Highway and Draper Road at Gordonvale. Aerial view of the construction work. Picture: Brendan Radke

When asked about the current supply chain hiccups affecting Cairns, Mr Sheehan said “the situation is continuing to improve on a day-to-day basis”.

“I was in Cairns Central Woolworths last night and stock levels have improved.”

Woolworths regional development manager Marissa Hopewell and state development manager Chris Sheehan look over plans for the new supermarket in front of the construction. Picture: Brendan Radke

Originally published as Woolworths Gordonvale’s $20m build on track