Bunnings coming to Bacchus Marsh in $100m retail complex

BACCHUS Marsh will finally have its long-awaited Bunnings outlet when a $100 million retail development is finished next year.

The retailer will be the anchor tenant in the large-format retail hub, which will be 15,000 square metres in size and built on the corner of Parwan Road and Fisken Street to the town’s south-east.

Plans for the complex – to be known as Bacchus Marsh Central – have already been lodged with the State Government’s development facilitation unit, which fast-tracks developments of economic benefit.

Construction and leasing contracts have also been signed with the Troon Group and Colliers respectively.

Developer The Gull Group, of Ballarat, is planning to offer a mix of large-format retail stores, national lifestyle and homemaker brands, and food and beverage outlets.

The Gull Group joint managing director Alistair Gull said Easter 2027 was the target completion and opening date.

Mr Gull described the development as “a supersite”, which will be the first of its kind in Bacchus Marsh.

“It’s well overdue and probably one of the most significant developments that’s ever been done in town,” he said.

“It’s a good news story because a lot of those retailers haven’t been able to get into town due to Bacchus Marsh’s valuable farming land, its congested traffic.”

Mr Gull said being close to the train station and in the growth area of Parwan and towards Geelong were other advantages.

“It’s a big win for (the) town, and to have these groups that want to come there is pretty exciting.

“It’s good for jobs, it’s good for the community; it gives people another option besides Melton.”

Mr Gull said many retailers wanted to be co-located with Bunnings because they knew they could attract more business off the back of the hardware giant’s trade.

He said the Moorabool Shire was “100 per cent supportive” of the project.

“This site has been earmarked for quite some time for that type of development,” Mr Gull said, adding that at least half of the retail space had already been committed.

He said his group had a very good relationship with the Ballarat-based Troon Group, which has built more than 50 Bunnings outlets.