5 November 2017

Bunnings' Airport move puts cloud over Fyshwick store

| Ian Bushnell
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Bunnings Warehouse at Fyshwick.

Bunnings Warehouse is set to be the next big tenant at Majura Park, moving into the site occupied by the ill-fated Woolworths Masters home improvement venture.

But the proposed move poses questions around the future of the nearby Bunnings store at Fyshwick.

The hardware giant’s General Manager of Property, Andrew Marks said that it was working with both the landlord and private retail group Home Consortium, which in August acquired 61 Masters properties, to finalise an agreement for the former Masters Canberra Airport site.

“If successful, there will be necessary conversion works undertaken to reformat the store ahead of Bunnings moving into the site,” he said.

Bunnings has a total of 326 stores across Australia, with four of those located in the ACT – Gungahlin, Tuggeranong, Belconnen, and Fyshwick.

The Fyshwick store is only about 6km from the Airport and there has been speculation that it would close and its staff and stock move to Majura Park.

Bunnings did not respond to questions on its future, nor would it say when the Majura Park store may open.

Canberra Airport said it was working with Home Consortium and Woolworths to finalise an agreement for a new tenant to occupy the former site of the Masters Home Improvement Store at Majura Park.

“With anchor tenants like Costco, Big W, and Woolworths, the site is a great location for retail trading, and we look forward to welcoming a new retail giant to compliment the strong range of existing retailers soon,” the Airport said.

Woolworths closed its Masters stores in December last year after the home improvement chain lost more than $600 million over four years.

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JC said :

dungfungus said :

ChrisinTurner said :

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

Well, not exactly like anywhere else in the world. For example, in Lyon, the French TGV stops at Lyon St Exupery which is 20km from the centre of the city. There are shuttle busses or metro rail connections to Lyon Part Dieu (business centre of Lyon) and an “express trams” to the airport.

When “fast trains” are forced to make diversions (like the one mused about at Ainslie Ave, Civic), the cost escalates dramatically and the service becomes significantly “less-fast”.

Federal government people who think they know about VFTs should take a fact finding junket to France and “get up to speed”.

In those franch cities the issue is the lin bypasses the city altogether, so they either have a remote station enroute and/or a spur to an existing classic station.

In the case of Canberra I’d say the line went to Melbourne a remote station would probably be out Yass way which is too far even by European standards which means a spur into Canberra is needed either way. In which case the argument for a city station becomes strong.

You are probably right JC but given that it will never happen in our lifetime it is all academic anyhow.

It’s interesting to note that Canberrans used to be able to be bussed to Yass Junction (and return) to connect with the XPT to Melbourne. This was not an imposition for many and the way the landscape is changing between Canberra and Yass the distance is getting less each day.
To catch the same south-bound train service now, the connection event takes place at Cootamundra which is a lot further but people are still prepared to use the service.
It’s better than catching the Explorer from Canberra to Goulburn and waiting several hours for a south-bound XPT.

dungfungus said :

ChrisinTurner said :

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

Well, not exactly like anywhere else in the world. For example, in Lyon, the French TGV stops at Lyon St Exupery which is 20km from the centre of the city. There are shuttle busses or metro rail connections to Lyon Part Dieu (business centre of Lyon) and an “express trams” to the airport.

When “fast trains” are forced to make diversions (like the one mused about at Ainslie Ave, Civic), the cost escalates dramatically and the service becomes significantly “less-fast”.

Federal government people who think they know about VFTs should take a fact finding junket to France and “get up to speed”.

In those franch cities the issue is the lin bypasses the city altogether, so they either have a remote station enroute and/or a spur to an existing classic station.

In the case of Canberra I’d say the line went to Melbourne a remote station would probably be out Yass way which is too far even by European standards which means a spur into Canberra is needed either way. In which case the argument for a city station becomes strong.

ChrisinTurner said :

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

Well, not exactly like anywhere else in the world. For example, in Lyon, the French TGV stops at Lyon St Exupery which is 20km from the centre of the city. There are shuttle busses or metro rail connections to Lyon Part Dieu (business centre of Lyon) and an “express trams” to the airport.

When “fast trains” are forced to make diversions (like the one mused about at Ainslie Ave, Civic), the cost escalates dramatically and the service becomes significantly “less-fast”.

Federal government people who think they know about VFTs should take a fact finding junket to France and “get up to speed”.

ChrisinTurner11:34 am 10 Nov 17

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

aleayr said :

dungfungus said :

What railway line was that?

I think they’re talking about the existing Fyshwick Bunnings with the existing line. Can’t see it happening myself, not sure the cost benefit would stack up, especially given the preferred route for future high speed rail seems to be the airport.

Ah, yes. Thanks for that. It’s the existing Bunnings’ site being referred to.
Forget the high speed train, this government isn’t even capable of putting in a daily commuter train from Bungendore to Canberra which would take thousands of cars of the road. They would rather waste some millions on another useless tilt-train trial to Sydney that still won’t compete with the busses.

dungfungus said :

What railway line was that?

I think they’re talking about the existing Fyshwick Bunnings with the existing line. Can’t see it happening myself, not sure the cost benefit would stack up, especially given the preferred route for future high speed rail seems to be the airport.

bigred said :

I keep hearing of secret plans to convert the site into a transport interchange. Remember the railway line goes right past it, and the Kingston Foreshore development proposes to redevelop the existing railway station.

What railway line was that?

I keep hearing of secret plans to convert the site into a transport interchange. Remember the railway line goes right past it, and the Kingston Foreshore development proposes to redevelop the existing railway station.

John Moulis said :

Are you kidding? Bunnings about to close their booming, centralised Fyshwick store in the middle of Canberra’s main industrial area and move out to Dreamworld? The artificial shopping precinct tacked onto the airport by way of a legal loophole?

This is absurd in more ways than one. At the north of Majura Park necessitating an extra drive from Costco and the shopping centre. There was a reason why tradies never went to Masters – it was just too isolated.

Bunnings should get this ridiculous idea out of their heads pronto. Killing the goose which laid the golden eggs is never a good business model.

But access for bicycles is very good at Majura Park; very dodgy at Fyshwick.

John, I shop regularly at Majura Park, it will be great to have Bunnings in the precinct. I don’t care whether the centre was built due to the loop hole, that’s irrelevant, it’s a fantastic precinct. I hope Bunnings don’t get the idea out of their heads, I hope that is exactly what they are planning.

In addition, for me anyway, I find the Fyshwick store annoying to get to with a number of traffic lights and tight traffic on that eastern side of Fyshwick especially during peak periods. Majura is pretty good during peak times now the entry roads have been upgraded to dual lanes.

Agree with the basic sentiment about Snowtown. But realistically in Fyshwick few tradies go to Bunnings most go to more specialised places to get what they need. Which leaves the DIY’er who probably doesn’t care less if it is in Fyshwick or Snowtown.

That said who knows maybe they want to get into trade in bigger way and might make Fyshwick a trade only store like the one that have (or possibly had) in Mitchell at the old Magnet Mart. It would be ideal in terms of size and location etc.

And as for why Masters closed down, clearly it was a nationwide issue with the reasons well documented. Don’t think the Snowtown location is that big a put off for many. Always many people out there and Masters when opened was reasonably busy too.

Are you kidding? Bunnings about to close their booming, centralised Fyshwick store in the middle of Canberra’s main industrial area and move out to Dreamworld? The artificial shopping precinct tacked onto the airport by way of a legal loophole?

This is absurd in more ways than one. At the north of Majura Park necessitating an extra drive from Costco and the shopping centre. There was a reason why tradies never went to Masters – it was just too isolated.

Bunnings should get this ridiculous idea out of their heads pronto. Killing the goose which laid the golden eggs is never a good business model.

Well it would make sense. The old BBC stores like Fyshwick are a lot smaller and cramped compared to Bunnings built stores.

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