Melbourne Central Shopping Centre facts for kids
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| Location | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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| Coordinates | 37°48′37.42″S 144°57′47.32″E / 37.8103944°S 144.9631444°E |
| Opening date | 1991 |
| Developer | Kisho Kurokawa Ashton Raggatt McDougall (major redevelopment) |
| Management | GPT Group |
| Owner | GPT Group |
| No. of stores and services | 290 |
| Total retail floor area | 55,100 square metres (593,000 sq ft) |
| No. of floors | 6 |
| Parking | 1,600 |
Melbourne Central is a huge place in Melbourne, Australia. It's a shopping centre, an office building, and a public transport hub all in one!
The shopping centre was updated in 2005. It also has the Melbourne Central railway station (which is part of the underground train system). Plus, there's a tall, black office tower that stands 211-metre (692 ft) high with two communication masts on top. This whole area is owned by a company called GPT Group.
Contents
Discovering Melbourne Central's History
The Old Shot Tower Inside
Right in the middle of the shopping centre, under a giant glass cone, you'll find the Coop's Shot Tower. This tower was built way back in 1888! It was used to make lead shot, which are small balls of metal. The tower stopped being used in 1961.
Instead of tearing it down, they kept it as a cool part of the shopping centre. Today, you can find shops like R.M. Williams inside it. There's even a museum where you can learn about its history. The tower also appeared in the 1997 Jackie Chan movie Mr. Nice Guy.
How Melbourne Central Was Built
A Japanese architect named Kisho Kurokawa designed Melbourne Central. It was built between 1986 and 1991. The whole project cost about $1.2 billion.
When it first opened, a Japanese department store called Daimaru was the main shop. It had six floors! But Daimaru closed its store in 2002.
Making Changes and Updates
After Daimaru left, a lot of the shopping space was empty. So, in 2002, the owners, GPT Group, decided to give the centre a big makeover. They spent about $260 million on the renovation.
The new design aimed to bring in more natural light. They added new shops that faced the street. They also made changes to the footbridge that crosses Little Lonsdale Street. These updates made the centre feel more open and modern.
In 2010, GPT Group announced more plans to update the centre. They wanted to add a new food area and a new entrance on Elizabeth Street.
The Tall Office Tower
The Melbourne Central Office Tower is a very tall building. It has 57 floors, and 46 of them are used for offices. The tower itself is about 210 metres (690 ft) tall.
On top of the tower, there are two communication masts. These masts add another 35 metres (115 ft) to its height. So, the very top of the tower is 246 metres (807 ft) high! Many businesses have offices here.
Cool Features and Landmarks
Coop's Shot Tower
The Shot Tower is a key part of Melbourne Central. The huge glass cone was built specifically to protect this historic building. Inside the tower, you can find a few shops. There's also a museum about the tower's past, and it's free to visit!
The Marionette Watch
This special watch was designed by Seiko and given to the people of Melbourne. It used to have a giant chain that weighed two tonnes!
Every hour, a fun show happens. Little puppet figures, called marionettes, drop down from the watch. They include Australian galahs, cockatoos, and two minstrels. They perform the song "Waltzing Matilda" while some koalas watch.
The Giant Glass Cone
The Glass Cone is a massive glass structure. It's 20 storeys high! It weighs 490 tonnes and has 924 glass panels. A special machine cleans all the glass. When the centre first opened, people called it the "Magic Cone."
The Vertical Garden
Melbourne Central used to have a special "vertical garden." This garden was designed by a French artist named Patrick Blanc. It was a garden that grew up the walls of the Shot Tower, making it look green and leafy. However, in 2013, it was replaced with an advertising billboard.
Shops and Fun Things to Do
Melbourne Central has about 292 stores! Some popular shops include Sephora, JD Sports, Country Road, R. M. Williams, Cotton On, Tea too, JB Hi-Fi, Rebel Sport, Nike, DJI, and Samsung.
You can walk from Melbourne Central to other big shopping centres like Myer and David Jones using glass footbridges. This means you can walk through shops for a long way across the city!
Melbourne Central has lots of places to eat. There are two main food courts. One is on the lower ground level, near the train station entrance. Here you'll find places like McDonald's, Subway, and KFC.
Another food court, called the Dining Hall, opened as part of a big update.
On the "On3" entertainment level, you can find a Hoyts Cinema complex. There's also ten-pin bowling and bars. You can also find a Coles supermarket on the lower levels.
Images for kids
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Main entrance podium, corner La Trobe and Swanston Streets after re-development.
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Melbourne Central, Lonsdale Street entrance, below bridge to Myer Melbourne.
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Underneath the iconic glass cone
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Food On 2 level Food Court
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Various floors in central area. (2010)
