The Gold Coast’s Robina Town Centre has recently reached $1bn in retail sales turnover – positioning it among Australia’s highest-performing shopping centres and the first QIC centre to reach the milestone.
Robina Town Centre joins a growing list, which started with Chadstone in 2008. It’s one of a few new centres reaching the $1b MAT mark in SCN‘s upcoming Big Guns edition.
Located in Robina, one hour south of Brisbane, Robina Town Centre draws more than 13 million customers annually from a broad and growing population of around 670,000 residents.
According to Leasing Manager Byron Hayes, Robina Town Centre has steadily increased its market share this year, asserting its role as the favoured shopping and lifestyle destination for locals in a geographically expansive trade area which extends as far south as the NSW Northern Rivers region.
Robina Town Centre draws more than 13 million customers annually
Hayes says that significant reinvestment by QIC, coupled with the focus on retail mix and experience, has resonated with the centre’s core customers – boosting sales across a majority of categories and contributing to the centre’s extraordinary success.
“Our long-term leasing strategy has seen several retailers significantly expand their footprint, with brands such as Apple and Mecca tripling their floorspace in the past five years,” Hayes explains. “Not only does this signal a desire for these brands to deepen their in-person connection with the Robina audience, but also our shared vision to harness the potential of a community which is growing in both size and spending power.”
With more than 360 stores spanning approximately 148,000m2, Robina Town Centre has consistently evolved over the years to deliver market-relevant experiences that the local community can relate to. The centre’s spacious, light-filled interiors and inviting indoor-outdoor spaces also reflect the unique Gold Coast lifestyle, encouraging visitors to stay longer and feel a sense of ownership over the communal areas.
Design-forward food precinct, The Kitchens, and lakeside dining area, The Promenade, each deliver a range of gastronomic experiences, drawing thousands of visitors daily. The retail mix, meanwhile, has seen the centre attract cult global and domestic brands such as H&M, Mecca, Stylerunner and Sephora to become a hub for fashion, beauty and homewares.
The Kitchens, Robina Town Centre
Entertainment options, including Zone Bowling and the immersive ArtVo pop-up gallery, have added to the centre’s family appeal. A suite of everyday services spanning hair and beauty salons, allied health clinics, law offices, government service centres and more have further cemented the vital role of Robina Town Centre in local life.
Now Australia’s sixth-largest city, Gold Coast and its surrounding region has been popular with Australians seeking a sea change in recent years, with the Northern Gold Coast region (Robina Tertiary Northwest) reporting an annual average population growth rate of 5.2% from 2016 to 2022*.
Miranda Wilson, Investment General Manager at QIC, said: “The significant development delivered in 2016, which included the launch of The Kitchens, along with the addition of 7,000m2 of premium office accommodation at 198 Robina Town Centre Drive in 2022, have strengthened the centre’s ability to harness the Gold Coast’s extraordinary population growth.”
“While Robina Town Centre’s vibrant retail and hospitality amenity speaks for itself, we are also working to unlock the huge potential of the 14.5ha of surrounding land zoned for mixed-use development, as well as evolving the urban green space and community infrastructure that adjoins the centre,” she continues. “This $1bn milestone is just the beginning; we are excited to progress our ambitious masterplan over the coming decade in support of the continued growth and prosperity of the Robina community.”
Robina Town Centre boasts more than 360 stores spanning approximately 148,000m2
Hayes adds: “We are now welcoming an increasingly diverse clientele who are happy to invest in products and experiences that align with their lifestyle ambitions; this means being agile and shaping our retail mix, service offering and marketing approach in ways that genuinely connect with our audience.”
Hayes believes inclusive design has also played a key role in the centre’s success: “Easy access to our retail spaces is very important, particularly for young families and senior members of our community. The centre’s floor plan is spacious and uncluttered, our malls designed to capture abundant natural light that promotes a sense of openness and ease.”
Wilson agrees: “The feedback we consistently receive is that shoppers truly do feel that Robina Town Centre belongs to the community. It is only by understanding local culture and diligently responding to the community’s aspirations that we have been able to drive extraordinary sales results.
“As we look to introduce new cultural and civic amenity as well as premium apartment living as part of our significant development pipeline at this highly productive shopping destination, it’s clear the community is with us on the journey,” she said.
* Compounding Annual Population Growth Rate from 2016 to 2022. Source: QIC Real Estate, GapMaps, November 2022.
