Rockdale Plaza

Rockdale Plaza is a shopping centre located in the suburb of Rockdale in the St George area of Sydney.[1]

Interior of Rockdale plaza in 2019

Rockdale Plaza
Rockdale Plaza in 2019
LocationRockdale, New South Wales, Australia
Address1 Rockdale Plaza Dr, Rockdale NSW 2216
Opening date15 August 1963 (15 August 1963) (Southside Plaza)
29 October 1997 (29 October 1997) (Rockdale Plaza)
ManagementCharter Hall
OwnerCharter Hall
No. of stores and services65
No. of anchor tenants3
Total retail floor area35,945 m2 (386,909 sq ft)
No. of floors2
Parking875
Websiterockdaleplaza.com.au

Transport

The Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line offer frequent services to Rockdale station.

Rockdale Plaza has bus connections to St George and Sutherland Shire, as well as local surrounding suburbs. It is served by Transit Systems NSW and U-Go Mobility services. Majority of its bus services located on Princes Highway and Rockdale Plaza Drive.

Rockdale Plaza has multi level car parks with 875 spaces.

History

The original shopping centre known as Southside Plaza opened on 15 August 1963 by Rockdale MP Brian Bannon and was built over former market gardens with tonnes of soil had to be brought in to raise the ground level to the height of the Princes Highway.

Southside Plaza featured a Mark Foy's, Woolworths Food Fair (rebranded to Flemings in the 1980s and rebranded to Woolworths later), Franklins, AMF Bowling Alley and 33 stores. The bowling alley remained separate from the centre despite proposals to join them. Since its opening in 1963 led the way in the retail revolution, which swept through southern Sydney in the 1960s. Southside Plaza also held the trash and treasure market on Sundays.

In 1967 Mark Foys was extensively damaged by fire. It was then rebuilt and became a McDowells store and then was rebranded as Waltons in 1972.[2] In 1978 Waltons relocated to the newly built Westfield Hurstville and the space became vacant since.

The opening of Roselands and the redeveloped Miranda Fair had been blamed for a downturn in trade at Southside Plaza and various redevelopment proposals were proposed but never eventuated.[3] In the 1992 Southside Plaza was demolished and construction started on redeveloping the site.

Rockdale Plaza opened on 29 October 1997 and featured Big W, Franklins, Woolworths and over 50 specialty stores.[4] Bowlers were informed that the Tenpin Bowling Alley would be incorporated into the new centre however it did not eventuate.[5] In 2013, Franklins closed its store and was split in half, one half was taken up by Best & Less as well as Aldi which opened on the other half on 16 October 2013.[6] Best & Less closed in July 2020 and Chemist Warehouse moved into its space, the original space of Chemist Warehouse is currently being refurbished into a new store.

In April 2019, Rockdale Plaza was purchased by Charter Hall for $142 million.[7]

Tenants

Rockdale Plaza has 35,945 of floor space. The major retailers include Big W, Aldi, Woolworths and Rebel.

References
  1. "About Us | Rockdale Plaza". www.rockdaleplaza.com.au. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  2. "Logo Design in Rockdale". 22 October 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  3. Trembath, Murray (4 August 2017). "FLASHBACK FRIDAY | Shopping / bowling revolution". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  4. "Rockdale Plaza celebrates". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  6. "Streetbuild Completes Its First ALDI Store Fitout at Rockdale - Streetbuild Constructions & Refurbishment". streetbuild.com. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  7. "Charter Hall buys Sydney's Rockdale Plaza for $142 million". Inside Retail. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
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