Toowoomba’s Wilsonton Shopping Centre second stage start work, Hutchinson Builders to complete

Once one of Toowoomba's most ‘unloved’ shopping centres, this popular precinct has been revamped and the $25m second stage is about to start. Two big brands are already attached.

Concept art for the second stage of the Wilsonton Shopping Centre redevelopment, which will include a 7-Eleven and Starbucks as anchor tenants.

Work has started on the $25m second stage of the Wilsonton Shopping Centre redevelopment, with the site’s owners hoping to have it fully tenanted by early next year.

Hutchinson Builders has started earthworks at the popular local centre, which was bought by Consolidated Properties Group in 2018 for $50m.

After completing a major revamp of the main centre in recent years, the second stage on the western part of the Bridge Street site will feature five tenancies including a 7-Eleven service station and Starbucks drive-through cafe.

CPG chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke, who was at Thursday’s sod turning ceremony with Mayor Paul Antonio, original centre owner Clive Berghofer and Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts, said the firm’s total investment in the Wilso would be worth nearly $120m.

Excited for the start of construction on the $25m second stage of the Wilsonton Shopping Centre redevelopment are (from left) Hutchinson Builders' Jack Hutchinson and Consolidated Properties Group CEO Don O'Rorke.

“The centre had been a little bit unloved, a little bit neglected, so our investment after this stage has been at about $120m and I think most people would agree the centre looks loved, we’ve spent money refurbishing it and re-tenanting it,” he said on Thursday.

“The businesses occupying the centre are thriving, as evidenced by the fact we have no rental arrears.

“Shopping centres are dynamic, you can’t just buy and forget, you need to continually invest capital into it.

“The second stage is the oldest part of the centre, we looked at whether we were going to refurbish it or build anew and we decided the latter because we could get exactly what we wanted.

“This particularly component is anchored by 7-Eleven and Starbucks and we’ve got three other tenancies to lease which we’re confident we’ll fill during construction.”

Concept art for the second stage of the Wilsonton Shopping Centre redevelopment, which will include a 7-Eleven and Starbucks as anchor tenants.

Mr O’Rorke said both CPG and its capital partner CVS Lane had been impressed by Toowoomba’s potential for growth.

“This has been a great journey for us, the mayor spoke about the statistics around Toowoomba and that’s been a great attractor for us and that’s known nationally, that Toowoomba is a viable place to invest in,” he said.

Hutchinson Builders associate director Jack Hutchinson said the project would be finished by February and was expected to create about 30 jobs during construction.

“90 per cent of the subcontractors are from Toowoomba, so most on-site will be local men and women,” he said.

“It’s a big project and we’ve been in Toowoomba for a long time.”

Mr Watts said he was excited by CPG’s investment in the Wilsonton community.

“I’m very excited that not only are they investing but they’re bringing the standard up of the local community and they’re getting out and working with the high school and investing in the community,” he said.

“They’re not just building a facility and taking the rent, they’re actually becoming part of the community.”