Westfield Geelong’s Myer store was continually rebuilt in stages through 2008 as part of a nationwide refurbishment program, while Coles reopened the same year in a smaller nine-aisle format, a rare case of two anchors being reworked simultaneously rather than staged years apart. The result is a centre whose current anchor stack reflects the 2008 works, which reset several major anchors within one coordinated redevelopment.
Myer holds roughly 12,500 square metres as the full-line department anchor, with Target at 8,800 square metres covering the discount tier and Big W providing a second discount position. Coles anchors grocery across its reopened, reduced format.
Across 187 specialty stores, the register stays mid-market and regional in character, from Country Road and Gorman in apparel to MECCA and Chemist Warehouse in health and beauty. Three separate food courts, including an alfresco strip on Yarra Street, reflect the centre’s role as a major dining component within central Geelong.
Serving Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, Westfield Geelong is one of regional Victoria’s major retail centres, with one of the strongest full-format offers in the Geelong and Bellarine market. For a brand assessing regional Victoria, Geelong’s coordinated 2008 redevelopment is the clearest evidence of how much investment one regional anchor can attract at once.
