Surprise last-minute Toombul Shopping Centre activity before wreckers move in

Neighbours of the doomed, flood-ravaged Toombul Shopping Centre have been warned to expect noisy activity next month. But it won’t be the wrecking ball.

Police will conduct a training exercise at Toombul before the flood-ravaged northside shopping centre is demolished.

Neighbours of the doomed, flood-ravaged Toombul Shopping Centre have been warned to expect noisy activity next month, but instead of a wrecking ball it will be special ops police.

Owners Mirvac earlier this month confirmed demolition works would soon begin, although there would be no spectacular detonation to flatten the mould-affected structure.

In a surprise last-minute move, police have advised that officers would be using the site for four days next month for a training exercise and to expect some noise.

The Special Emergency Response Team, bomb squad, dog squad and Public Safety Response Team often conducted “scenario’’ training in vacant or derelict buildings.

This included a vandalised, rundown historic home in Brisbane’s westside in recent years before it mysteriously burned down.

Police did not use live ammunition or explosives in the exercises.

Toombul Shopping Centre will be demolished. Picture: David Clark

Toombul neighbours were letterboxed last week to warn of police activity between 9am-4pm from February 17-21.

“There will be some loud noises during this time and a police presence may be observed in the local area,’’ the letterbox drop said.

A QPS spokesman said exercises were confidential and no details would be released.

Flooding inside Toombul shopping centre in 2022. Picture: Jamie Weston

Three telecommunications companies, Waveconn, Telstra and TPG, were in their final stages of preliminary work at the Sandgate Rd site to keep mobile phone coverage at normal levels.

The demolition process would begin with minor works including disconnecting services within the site and the removal of some interior fittings and fixtures.

Mirvac has appointed a contractor, Rosenlund Contractors Pty Ltd, to undertake the demolition works which would occur six days a week from 6.30am to 6.30pm.

Approved plans stated that the Toombul bus interchange and associated roads would be retained.

No development application has yet been submitted, but Mirvac was expected to apply to Council for a mixed-use project to replace the 56-year-old shopping centre including public green space, residential and a smaller retail component.

Originally published as Surprise last-minute Toombul Shopping Centre activity before wreckers move in