Stockland has officially opened its $33 million Baringa town centre in Caloundra South, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Stockland Baringa is located in the heart of Stockland’s Aura – the largest masterplanned community under a single ownership in Australia. This retail and services precinct is the first of its kind at Aura, which is now home to more than 3,000 residents, and the Baringa State Primary School.
Joining Stockland to celebrate the milestone were a number of notable government dignitaries, including the Deputy Prime Minister the Honourable Michael McCormack, Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace, Mayor of Sunshine Coast Council Mark Jamieson, and Counsellor Rick Baberowski, also from Sunshine Coast Council.
Stockland Regional Manager Sunshine Coast, Adrian Allen, said: “The addition of the first town centre at Aura demonstrates the value of Stockland’s diversified business. “We know the key to a thriving new community is not just a well-designed masterplan, but the early delivery of key infrastructure. The opening of this centre puts us one step closer to delivering Australia’s most prosperous and connected masterplanned community.”
The $33 million Baringa town centre will be the epicentre of the township of Aura
Stockland Baringa includes a full-line IGA, 13 specialty retailers, commercial floorspace, a tavern, a proposed medical precinct, swim school, and more than 300 car spaces.
Michelle Abbey, GM Head of Retail, Stockland, said: “The launch of the $33 million Stockland Baringa retail centre is an important part of our retail strategy.
“We are actively focused on positioning the retail town centre portfolio to respond to changes in customer spending habits, with a clear focus on convenience and experience. Stockland Baringa is a fine example of this having a strong emphasis on medical, health and wellbeing, government and non-government services, technology, fast casual dining, fresh food, household products and family entertainment”.
Owner of the new anchor IGA store Roz White talks to an excited customer
Shane Monro, the Centre Manager at Stockland Baringa said that Stockland Baringa will be the largest and most convenient supermarket-anchored retail centre in the Aura catchment.
“We are delighted to be able to share our vision for this this retail town centre with residents of Baringa and the wider Sunshine Coast community. The centre will be a central and accessible place for the Aura community, combining fresh food and on-demand services with a beautiful space where people can connect and socialise, complementing other parts of the Baringa town centre now completed including a state primary school, sports fields, civic square, skate and scooter plaza, and Council community centre” said Monro.
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace, said: “The Stockland Baringa Town Centre is a terrific demonstration of confidence from the local business community in the Southern Sunshine Coast and is eagerly anticipated by residents of the Coast’s newest suburb. I look forward to visiting the Centre and all of its great new local businesses many times in the months and years to come.”
Sustainability has been at the forefront of the development, with Stockland committing to a 5 Star Green Star As Built rating for the new town centre, as well as investing $640,000 in a 370 KW rooftop solar project. Comprising 900 panels, the new rooftop solar system covers a roof area of approximately 1,800m2 and is expected to generate approximately 530,000kWh of renewable energy per year, enough to power 45 homes.
Roz White, the new IGA owner celebrates the new store with her team.
The town centre will become home to a number of health, beauty and food retailers, including local barber and café The Barber Shed, Spirit Pilates, Jetts Fitness, Avenue Dental, SG Bakery, Hikaru Sushi and two new cafés, Grind Coffee Bar and Mr Z @ Aura. Stockland also looks forward to welcoming Cellarbrations, Aura Property, Kindred Property, TSG and Golden Casket to the town centre – with additional retailers still to be announced.
Over the next 30 years, Aura is planned to include more than 20,000 new homes, two business parks, 10 sporting grounds, 25 community facilities, 20 educational facilities, 700 hectares of conservation and park areas and 200 kilometres of cycle ways and walking paths. Baringa is the first suburb to be built within the future city of Aura, which has been awarded a highly coveted 6 Star Green Star – Communities rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.
