Upgrades worth $60 million to begin at Casuarina Square this week

The NT’s most popular shopping centre is set for tens-of-millions in upgrades. Read what’s planned.

A $60 million facelift at the Northern Territory’s largest shopping centre will begin this week.

Casuarina Square owners Sentinel Property Group said with the 12-month planning and design phase out of the way, work is now to begin on the milestone upgrade – one of the largest undertaken since the centre opened in May 1973.

Sentinel chief executive Warren Ebert said the redevelopment would include expanded undercover parking and the Northern Territory’s first Woolworths direct-to-boot service.

“Purpose-built infrastructure will enable online grocery orders to be delivered straight to customers’ vehicles for the first time in the Northern Territory,” Mr Ebert said.

A significant change will include weatherproofing The Quarter so its no longer subject to nature’s elements, and improved outdoor and communal areas.

Casuarina Square upgrades 2025

More streamlined accessibility to the centre and upgraded family-friendly facilities are also in the mix, with an expansion of retailers in The Quarter offering additional eating and shopping options.

The redevelopment is scheduled for completion in mid-2026, with Casuarina Square remaining fully operational throughout construction.

Mr Ebert said the upgrades would modernise the centre and position it into a new era.

“Our aim is to drive local job creation, support economic development, and reinforce the centre’s position as a key destination for shopping, dining and community connection,” he said.

“Every man, woman and child in Darwin goes to Casuarina Square at least four times a month. It is at the heart of the community and we are very excited about the centre’s future.

“The redevelopment is part of the plan for Casuarina Square to be a major part of the future growth for the Northern Territory.”

Mr Ebert said refurbishments at The Quarter, which opened less than a decade ago, were long overdue.

Warren Ebert Chief Executive Officer Sentinel Property Group, Elysia Billingham and Scott Tynan at the 2025 Northern Territory Investment Summit in NT Parliament House on 15 July 2025. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“The Quarter doesn’t work, because when it was built it wasn’t fit for purpose. It’s not airconditioned, it’s too hot, it’s too dark, the floor is cobblestone and you can’t push shopping trolleys on it. It’s just not fit for purpose.”

The renovations will build on successes already achieved to make Casuarina Square a safe.

“Security and crime has improved by 93 per cent year on year, I think we’ve spent a lot in those areas already,” he said. “We’re shifting the taxi rank, we’ve got 320 CCTVs and closing BWS (bottleshop).

“We thought we’d have more incidents at Liquorland with the BWS closing, but since that shut down, incidents at the Coles end are down a further 29 per cent.

“The Government’s changes in locking up ringleaders has made a big difference and we have two-people full time monitoring the CCTV, and we had one stage 750 trespassers, and we found 96 per cent of incidents are solved by talking to them and marching them out.

“The active security guards, the CCTVs, legislative changes by Government. It’s always one-percenters, and there’s not one thing that changes it.”

Casuarina Square centre manager Elysia Billingham, said the redevelopment would improve the centre’s accessibility.

“This redevelopment is about creating a more accessible, comfortable, and modern experience for our customers,” Ms Billingham said. “We’re excited to take the next step in shaping a centre that reflects the evolving needs of the Top End.”

Originally published as Upgrades worth $60 million to begin at Casuarina Square this week