Fountain Gate opens

IT started with big brand retailers Kmart, Coles and about 55 speciality shops.
Now it boasts about 320 stores, a Village Cinema and is the shopping Mecca of Melbourne’s outer south-east.
Fountain Gate regional shopping centre opened on 11 March 1980 and has since undergone many changes and redevelopments.
Despite humble beginnings, there were always plans to expand the centre.
When covering it’s opening, the Gazette reported that the regional shopping centre would eventually be spread over 70 acres.
It would later provide an office block, two picture theatres, a tavern, and, when completed, would provide space for 5351 cars, the Gazette read.
When officially opening the complex, then Governor Sir Henry Winneke praised the developers for their foresight and initiative.
“Everyone associated with this retail development should be very proud,” he said.
The first stage of the shopping centre was in addition to a Fountain Gate housing estate and had been planned by Overland Development Corporation in conjunction with the Berwick City Council as an integrated development.
The corporation provided some 40 acres for the Berwick municipality’s civic centre and supporting facilities, as well as retaining 70 acres for its own regional shopping centre.
In 1992, Overland’s founder Isador Magid sold the centre to Transport Accident Commission (TAC) insurance for $187 million, setting what was then a record sum for a Melbourne property.
In 1994, retail giant Westfield Group became the new manager of Fountain Gate shopping centre. The TAC appointed Westfield to take over from former manager Overland Development Corporation.
The biggest, and last, redevelopment was in 2002 when the centre grew to 140,000 square metres of internal and external retail space.
Today there are about 320 stores at the centre. There are plans for another redevelopment within the next few years however a date has not been set.