Aerial photographs show massive growth in regional Victorian shopping centres

Large developments in regional towns — like shopping centres — are the “way of the future”, an expert has said.

An increase in “shopping cities” is taking businesses from regional centres to their outskirts, but an industry expert says it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Towns have been getting their own massive plazas in recent years as shopping complexes grow and attract more and more stores.

Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief executive Ben Flynn said large developments like shopping centres were the way of the future and balancing them with local business was important.

“We’ve welcomed continued investment in amenities such as shopping centres to keep up with our incredible population growth,” he said.

“Small businesses have benefited from the construction phases as well as the ongoing traffic in these centres.”

He said Geelong was just one example of a place which had seen, and would continue to see, massive growth.

He said the shopping centres helped the city “stamp out a place in the state”.

“We support local businesses, but we also understand Geelong is really evolving and stamping itself as the place to be. Developments like these help us maintain the way of life we like to lead,” he said.

In Mildura, shops are disappearing from the Langtree Mall and opting to go to Mildura Central.

Hammerton Jewellers owner Ryan Hammerton, whose business operates from the mall, said “proximate parking” was a factor which made Mildura Central more attractive to shoppers.

“The lack of proximate parking is a drama for customers and smaller businesses that are in the mall,” he said.

“Even if businesses show up we are fighting for the same amount of parking,” he said.

Aerial imagery from Australian location intelligence company Nearmap provides government organisations, architectural, construction and engineering firms, and other companies, with easy, instant access to high resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, and geospatial tools to assist with urban planning, monitoring and development projects in Australia, New Zealand, and North America.

See the growth in shopping centres from all over Victoria.

Albury-Wodonga:

Ballarat:

Bass Coast:

Bendigo:

Geelong:

Mildura:

Shepparton:

Warrnambool: