Cairns CentralShopping Centre in Far North Queensland, Australia is Cairns' biggest shopping centre. The centre was opened in late 1997 and is the second multi-story shopping centre in northern Queensland. The shopping centre is built over the Cairns Railway Station, which is incorporated with the centre. Pedestrian access to the station is through the car park on the bottom floor, or a pedestrian walkway on the second floor. Construction of the shopping centre was delayed temporarily due to damage suffered from Tropical Cyclone Justin in early 1997. Cairns Central contains three department stores one supermarket and a six cinema complex. The centre is jointly owned by Lend Lease, owners of other Australian shopping centres such as Sunshine Plaza and Canelands Central and The Westfield Group. Cairns Central as of June 2008 recorded more than $353 million in sales and boasts centre visits of 10 million a year.
Awards
The centre has, for the second time running, been named among the state's top shopping centres. Cairns Central on 13 February 2009 was named runner-up in the 2008 Queensland Shopping Centre of the Year Awards in the Super/Major regional centres exceeding 50,000 sq m.
Ownership court case
In August 2007 it was revealed joint owners Westfield and Australian Prime Property Fund were arguing about Westfield's insistence on managing the centre itself. APPF said it wanted current managers Lend Lease to stay in charge and Westfield took the matter to the New South Wales Supreme Court. A spokesman for APPF confirmed the matter had been referred for mediation, expected to start about 18 February 2008. Westfield bought their 50% share in 2006 from Coles Myer and put itself forward as the centre's manager but this was rejected by Lend Lease. An attempt by Westfield in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Monday 16 June to force a public auction of the shopping centre – valued at $407 million – was rejected as was an alternative bid to appoint receivers to sell the centre. Lend Lease's contract over Cairns Central ran out on 30 June 2008 and was, and still is, uncertain who will manage the centre. Tenants of the centre have revealed claims that rent since Westfield bought the 50% share in 2006 rent had gone up substantially and that locally run shops were being forced out in favour of large national and international retailers. As of October 2011, Lendlease purchased Westfield's 50% share in Cairns Central, which leaves Lendlease as the primary owner of the shopping centre via Lendlease's APPF Commercial Investment arm.
Public transport
Cairns Central is accessible by Bus and is one of the major Bus Interchanges on the Sunbus Cairns network. This was previously located on McLeod Street at the northern CBD entrance, but was moved in 2017 to Spence Street for departures and the Cairns Railway Station for arrivals, respectively. The taxi interchange is located at the main CBD entrance opposite Shields Street. Although not a suburban railway station as Cairns does not have a rail network, the Cairns Railway Station is located at the back of the centre near Bunda Street. It is the terminal for long distance commuter travel, mostly travelling south and an alternative station to start the Kuranda Scenic Railway and The Savannahlander.
$60m Redevelopment Project
On 18 July 2019, Lendlease announced their $60 million redevelopment project for Cairns Central. The project includes a new food market, parking improvements, and other facilities. Construction of this redevelopment is currently on-going and is expected to be completed in late 2020.
