Stockland celebrates official opening of $33 million Baringa town centre
Stockland has today officially opened the $33 million Baringa town centre at Aura, Caloundra South, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast – which will soon be home to more than 90 new jobs.
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.
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 master planned community.”
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.
Shane Monro, the inaugural 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 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, complimenting 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.”
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.”
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.”
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 1,800 square metres and is expected to generate approximately 530,000kWh of renewable energy per year, enough to power 45 homes.
*For more information please visit stockland.com.au/baringa
ENDS
ABOUT BARINGA TOWN CENTRE
Stockland Baringa will be located in Stockland’s Aura – the largest master planned community under a single ownership in Australia. Stockland Baringa will include a full-line IGA, 13 specialty retailers, commercial floorspace, a tavern, proposed medical precinct, swim school, and over 300 car spaces.
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.
ABOUT AURA
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.
Stockland’s Aura comprises 2,400 hectares on the interface of Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. It is a State Government Priority Development Area. In 2030 and beyond it is envisioned to be Australia’s most prosperous and connected master planned community – with a population of 50,000 residents, housed within 20,000 dwellings, and 20,000 jobs, while contributing $1.5 billion in Gross Regional Product per year to the Sunshine Coast economy.