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Ocean Village Shopping Centre
It always felt unusual to see such a lifeless shopping centre in a place like City Beach. Before I could step inside, a lady of around 80 wandered up from her home a few streets back. She was there for her regular fish and chips, though she had hours to wait before City Beach Fish Bar opened. She told me how sad she felt at the state of the centre, remembering when she would bring her children here decades ago. The place had once been more than just shops. It was a genuine community hub, the sort of centre you don’t often find in metro Perth anymore.
I photographed what was left of the centre. A brother and sister on their bikes rolled in and declared this was their playground, as was the abandoned construction site behind it. They rode around freely, probably one of the only shopping centres where nobody was going to tell them off. At least they were still enjoying the place. There was very little left to photograph, yet the place was still filled with stories.
Bottlemart/Con’s City Beach Fine Wines was the only shop open. The worker was a man of very few words, often disappearing out back until a customer entered. Later at Hugo’s Pizza, a young man appeared in the window preparing dough. The boy I was with, snapped photos of him working with my DSLR camera, until the man briefly came out to say hello.
Constructing the Centre
In the 1970s, the City of Perth (which governed City Beach at the time) earmarked a parcel of bush bounded by Hale Road, Brompton Road and Perina Way for a new residential neighbourhood and local shopping centre. This plan was part of a broader concept to serve the growing suburban community.
In 1979 the City entered into a development deed to build the shopping centre with an adjacent car park. The understanding being that the council would retain ownership of the carpark for public use.
Construction proceeded and the Ocean Village Shopping Centre opened in 1980, on what was known as Lot 242. The centre consisted of convenience retailers and services typically found in local neighbourhood hubs. For many years, it housed staples like a supermarket, fish and chip shop, pizza café, pharmacy and a liquor store. It was modest but a loved community stop for nearby residents.
Expansion and Ownership Changes (1980s)
Throughout the 1980s, Ocean Village Shopping Centre underwent a few changes as the community grew. In 1981, an access easement was formalized to ensure service vehicles could reach the shops.
In December 1986, the City of Perth approved an extension of the supermarket at the southern end and the addition of new shops at the northern end of the centre, with a total increase in floor space not exceeding 200 m².
In 1987, the centre’s then-owner struck an agreement with the City to develop an office building on the adjacent 400 m² strip of land Lot 243 (immediately east of the original centre). The two-storey office component at 3 Kilpa Court was approved in 1988, bringing professional suites to the site alongside the existing shops.
In 1993, an application was lodged with the City of Perth to increase the shopping centre’s floor space by 130 m². The approval lapsed before work began, requiring a new application to be submitted to the newly formed Town of Cambridge.
Around the same time, the property transitioned completely into private hands. The City of Perth sold its stake in the retail lots and a private group of owners took over managing the centre. One of these owners was local businessman Tom Galopoulos (operating Saruman Holdings, which would later own Oceanus on the Beach and Driftwood Estate Winery), whose family went on to hold the asset for decades.
Under private ownership, the Ocean Village centre continued serving the community through to the late 20th century, maintaining its modest scale. Unlike larger suburban malls, it retained its small strip of stores, relying on a loyal local customer base.
Stagnation and Calls for Revitalization
By the mid-2010s, the Ocean Village Shopping Centre’s age was beginning to show. The buildings and facilities had changed little since the 1980s and as retail trends shifted, some shops became vacant. Locals still had fond memories of the centre’s heyday but many also recognized it was looking tired and underutilized.
The Town of Cambridge (established on 1 July 1994 after the City of Perth’s restructure) started discussing the site’s future with local community residents.
In 2015, the centre’s owner began working with the council on a precinct plan, in an attempt to rejuvenate the area, including ideas for redevelopment. Residents were consulted and in general, they supported a refreshed neighbourhood centre offering more modern amenities. However, no major upgrade materialized.
In December 2016, Tom Galopoulos sold the entire shopping centre property for $12.5 million to Pindan Capital, a Perth-based developer. Pindan’s acquisition raised hopes for the centre’s revival with the company soon announcing plans for a mixed-use redevelopment, featuring new shops and apartments (at a cost of $150 million) with renders designed by Emerge Associates (see below). The Town of Cambridge even began negotiations to sell them the carparks (Lot 241) to facilitate a larger project .
During this period, the existing centre continued to decline, with almost half the tenancies now vacant and only a handful of businesses, like the pizza and bottle shops, remaining open. The site was increasingly being described as dilapidated and an eyesore, despite its prime location in an affluent beachside suburb.
Any hopes of progress was derailed in 2021, when Pindan Group financially collapsed. A few more tenants soon moved out. The Town of Cambridge openly labelled the site “derelict”, as it sat mostly unused.
Redevelopment Proposals and Community Controversies
In the aftermath of Pindan’s collapse, a new developer stepped in to rescue the project. In mid-2022, Subiaco-based developer Blackburne, acquired the holding company that owned the Ocean Village site (through a deal with Pindan’s administrators and other stakeholders). They negotiated with the Town of Cambridge to purchase both council-owned carparks (Lot 241) adjacent to the centre, paying $8.9 million in 2023 to consolidate the 1.28 ha site.
Blackburne unveiled a $200 million plan for a neighbourhood village with 247 luxury apartments, new shops, and public spaces. Early concepts included:
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Twin towers of 10 and 22 storeys.
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A podium with a supermarket, cafés, and eight food outlets.
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A second three-storey building with 6,480 m² of commercial space, incorporating an upmarket wellness centre with pools, sauna, spa, gym and yoga rooms.
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Two levels of underground parking with over 200 bays.
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5,360 m² of landscaped public space, art, and exhibition areas.
Not surprisingly, the plan stirred controversy. Many City Beach residents were alarmed at the height and density, arguing it was out of character with the area’s suburban landscape. The Town of Cambridge had their own reservations and in 2024, they formally recommended the development should not proceed.
However, because the project was considered “significant”, it fell under the state-level assessment pathway (known as Part 17, which was introduced during COVID-19 to expedite major projects). This meant the final decision rested with the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), bypassing normal local planning controls.
Despite the local opposition, the WAPC approved the Ocean Village redevelopment in March 2025. The approval cleared the way for Blackburne’s twin-tower design to proceed, much to the disappointment of nearby residents, who had primarily been protesting the 22-storey height right from the start.
The project divided City Beach. Some saw it as the long-overdue revitalisation of a dead eyesore, others feared high-rise density, traffic and the loss of local character.
Tensions within the community were on full display during the approval process. In July 2023, a dramatic incident occurred at a Cambridge council meeting, which had convened to negotiate the sale of the carpark land. A resident vehemently opposed to the developer’s plans repeatedly interrupted Blackburne’s representative during his presentation. The man accused the developer of “lying” and attempting to “brainwash” the public, refusing to quiet down when he was admonished by the Mayor.
The meeting had to be temporarily adjourned, as security personnel escorted the agitated ratepayer from the chamber. This confrontation underscored the strong feelings the project had stirred in City Beach residents. Whilst many locals agreed the old centre desperately needed renewal, not everyone agreed on what form it should take.
A New Chapter for Ocean Village
With state approval in hand, Blackburne plans to demolish the long-vacant 1980 structure and break ground on the new mixed-use development. The forthcoming complex promises to deliver modern amenities, from a new grocery store and cafes, to public open space, alongside classy coastal apartments.
Supporters argue it will finally replace the blighted strip mall with a vibrant community focal point, while sceptics worry about high-rise bulk and traffic congestion in the quiet suburb.
As of 2025, what began as a small local shopping hub in 1980, is set to become a landmark development for City Beach. The site’s journey, from sandy bush block to humble neighbourhood shops, derelict centre and now, the verge of rebirth, encapsulates the changing face of suburban Perth.
In the coming years, Ocean Village will start a new chapter, marrying its legacy as a community meeting place with a contemporary vision for the future of City Beach.
