Sod turn to kick off construction of new Bunnings Warehouse at Capricorn Coast Homemaker Centre
Posted on October 14th, 2020
Australian property developers, Gibb Group are delighted to announce the commencement of construction for the multi-million-dollar Bunnings Warehouse Yeppoon at the Capricorn Coast’s Homemaker Centre.
The first sod was turned on Wednesday 14th October, marking the latest project for Yeppoon Road’s vibrant new precinct, which is set to become the new retail centre for home improvement, hardware, and other complementary large format businesses.
Queensland builder De Luca Corporation, who were selected from a shortlist of five prequalified tenderers to deliver the Bunnings Warehouse project, are set to recruit up to 250 workers during the construction period and expect to hire at least half of all workers from within the Central Queensland region.
Set for completion in mid-2021, the 8,900sqm development will be the second national retailer to open their doors within the new $35M Capricorn Coast Homemaker Centre, which is already home to Australia’s largest plumbing and bathroom supply business – Reece Plumbing Centre.
Senior Development Manager for Gibb Group, Angus Holloway believes that the Bunnings Warehouse development represents a significant investment in the local community, boosting job opportunities and economic activity.
“This latest development will create up to 250 construction jobs with the number of construction jobs continuing to grow as construction kicks off on the remaining buildings in the Capricorn Coast Homemaker Centre in the coming months” Angus said.
Bunnings Yeppoon Store Manager, Kath Dingley said she was excited to bring a bigger and better offer to local customers in Yeppoon.
“The new store will be over 7,000 square metres larger than the existing store, which will allow us to stock a broader range of home and lifestyle products for the community.
“The new development will create more than 60 additional jobs for local residents. All our team members from the existing Yeppoon store will transfer to the new store once complete and will continue to provide customers with the best service,” Kath said.
Capricorn Enterprise CEO, Mary Carroll welcomes yet another positive development from Gibb Group that will provide enormous benefit to the community.
“Capricorn Enterprise is proud to maintain our long-standing relationship with Gibb Group, who continue to ensure high quality developments are delivered in our region,” Mary said.
“The quality partnerships that Gibb Group consistently bring to the table, such as Reece and Bunnings, reflect the quality of their operations and we are grateful for their continued belief in our thriving destination by providing development opportunities and job creation.”
Over the past decade, the Capricorn Coast has recorded a 1.6% population growth (equivalent to the growth rate of Queensland), and this trend is predicted to continue well into the future.
With Gibb Group’s expertise attracting additional tenancies such as Hungry Jacks, Fresh Trading Co. and Gus’s Coffee, an even greater number of service industry jobs will be generated, providing further major growth opportunities for the Capricorn Coast.
Gibb Group representative, Angus Holloway was joined by Brittany Lauga MP, Livingstone Shire Council Mayor Andy Ireland, Bunnings Project Manager Michael Heggie, Bunnings Yeppoon Store Manager Kath Dingley, De Luca General Manager Jeremy McKenzie and Capricorn Enterprise CEO Mary Carroll to officially turn the first sod for the Bunnings Warehouse development.