Wangaratta Large Format Retail precinct secures Harvey Norman commitment
Harvey Norman is set to anchor a major new Large Format Retail precinct in Wangaratta, reinforcing the growing role of regional cities as important retail and service centres.
The retailer has committed to a new 5,000 sqm store within the proposed Wangaratta Woolstores development, located on the former Wangaratta Woollen Mills site in regional Victoria. The move will see Harvey Norman relocate and expand its existing Wangaratta store as part of the broader redevelopment.
Once complete, the Wangaratta Woolstores precinct is expected to deliver more than 15,000 sqm of retail floor space, with showroom tenancies ranging from 600 sqm to 4,000 sqm. The project will also see the historic Woollen Mills site repurposed, with elements of its heritage retained as part of the new retail environment.
For Large Format Retail operators, the project highlights the continued strength of regional markets where population growth, catchment reach and demand for convenience are supporting new investment.
According to project figures, Large Format Retail expenditure in the main trade area reached $277.5 million in 2024 and is forecast to grow to $441 million by 2036 (Deep End Services; ABS; Market Data Systems; Deloitte Access Economics). The former Woollen Mills property was recently sold off market by Colliers Retail Middle Markets to a national developer. Following the acquisition, the developer appointed Colliers’ retail leasing team to secure national and regional retailers for the precinct.
Colliers Manager, Retail Leasing, Nathan Brown, said Harvey Norman’s commitment was a significant milestone for the development and the Wangaratta community, describing it as the first Large Format Retail precinct of this scale in the city.
He said the project would help lift Wangaratta’s retail offer in line with comparable regional centres such as Shepparton, while delivering new choice, convenience and local employment.
The development also reflects a broader shift in retailer interest toward regional satellite cities, which are increasingly being viewed as attractive growth markets as brands look beyond metropolitan locations.
Colliers Associate Director, Retail Leasing, Jake Beckwith, said Wangaratta’s position as a key regional service centre was central to the project’s appeal, supported by a broad surrounding catchment, population growth and continued investment.
Construction is expected to begin in mid-2027, with the precinct scheduled to open in 2028.
