Case Study – Caboolture Shopping Village

Caboolture Shopping Village in Brisbane is a neighbourhood centre serving a growing community. Designed with a difference, Mainbrace delivered the centre ahead of schedule for Eildon Funds Management despite 14 weeks lost due to inclement weather.

The Mainbrace team led by Project Manager David Hayter commenced the project under a Design and Construct contract valued at $21.6 million in September 2021. There was a soft opening in mid-November 2022 and the centre officially opened a month later.

Artro Management, a project management firm Mainbrace has worked with across a number of NSW and Victorian projects, tendered, awarded and administered the contract for Caboolture Shopping Village on behalf of Eildon Funds Management.

Caboolture Shopping Village is a new Coles-anchored neighbourhood shopping centre comprising a 3,800sqm Coles supermarket, 140sqm Liquorland, a 1,000sqm Chemist Warehouse and eight specialty shops to serve the local community. It covers 13,569sqm of gross retail floor area and also includes an on-grade carpark with covered shade sails accommodating 330 vehicles.

A different centre

There were some design elements implemented at Caboolture Shopping Village that stands it visually apart. A perforated backlit screening feature creates a dynamic and interesting façade not typical of a neighbourhood centre. Sustainability was a focus; the brief included a 99kWh solar array and two electrical vehicle charging stations.

There were some familiar challenges through the 57-week build. COVID’s lingering impacts compounded the labour and material shortages experienced throughout the industry, while wet weather was a major factor. In all, 14 weeks were lost due to weather.

And yet Mainbrace, with an average of about 70 workers on site each day, delivered the centre 2.5 weeks ahead of schedule.

Cut to fill

Throughout, we worked closely with the client to achieve numerous innovative solutions. By rationalising and adjusting site levels and changing pad levels, we were able to apply a ‘cut to fill’ solution during bulk earthworks which significantly reduced the amount of material required to be removed from the site, creating a great environmental outcome.

Customer satisfaction

Just as there were familiar challenges, there were also familiar opportunities. Mainbrace’s long-term relationship with Coles again came to the fore, as we leveraged our understanding of Coles’ needs and expectations.

The response from the client was overwhelmingly positive. Mainbrace was shortly afterward contracted by Artro to build a new KFC restaurant on a pad site at the eastern end of the customer carpark.

Also for Eildon, in late 2022 we commenced design work on a major new project in Victoria. We look forward to cementing another long-term relationship.