More Than Just Shops: How the Australian Mall Became the New Town Square

The term "Australian Mall" covers a range of retail and pedestrianised spaces found across Australia, from large enclosed shopping centres to open-air pedestrian streets and heritage arcades. While historically built to concentrate stores, services and entertainment in one place, many Australian malls now serve a broader civic role: they are places where people meet, celebrate, protest, access services and spend leisure time — in short, they act as contemporary town squares.

How this shift happened reflects broader social, economic and urban trends. Post-war suburban growth and car-centred planning drove the rise of large, car-accessible shopping centres in the late 20th century. Developers like Westfield expanded regional malls that combined retail, dining, cinemas and later, gyms and medical centres. At the same time, city-centre pedestrian malls — such as Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne and Rundle Mall in Adelaide — were created to prioritise walkers, concentrate shops and revive downtowns. Over a few decades these spaces evolved beyond retail transactions into multifunctional public realms.

What Australians use malls for today

• Shopping and dining: the primary purpose, with a wide retail mix from major department stores to specialty boutiques and food courts.
• Socialising and leisure: meeting friends, eating out, watching movies, and attending pop-up events or art installations.
• Community services: many malls host bank branches, post offices, government service kiosks, health clinics and local council outreach.
• Civic functions: public squares and concourses inside malls are often used for markets, rallies, cultural festivals and civic ceremonies.
• Transit and connectivity: malls frequently connect to public transport nodes — train stations, bus interchanges and tram stops — making them central movement hubs.

Design and features that support the town-square role

Several design choices make malls feel like public squares. Pedestrianised promenades and wide concourses encourage lingering. Seating areas, play zones for children, public art and event spaces invite non-shopping activities. Climate-controlled indoor spaces provide comfort during extreme weather (hot summers or wet winters), especially important in Australia’s varied climate. Incorporating transport links, clear signage and wayfinding turns malls into natural meeting points and transit nodes.

Real-world Australian examples

• Chadstone Shopping Centre (Melbourne) — one of Australia’s largest malls, serving as a regional retail and entertainment hub with major events, seasonal activations and a mix of services.
• Pitt Street Mall (Sydney) and Bourke Street Mall (Melbourne) — dense city-centre pedestrian malls that combine major retailers with street performers, public events and connections to transport.
• Rundle Mall (Adelaide) — a pedestrian precinct known for its public sculptures, regional events and as a central social meeting point.
• Queen Victoria Building (Sydney) — a heritage arcade that doubles as a shopping destination and tourist attraction, blending civic identity with commerce.

Why malls have become the modern town square in Australia

There are several reasons for the shift:

• Consolidation of services: Malls bring together governmental, financial and private services that previously required separate trips across a city.
• Climate control and comfort: Indoor malls provide sheltered public space, important in cities with extreme summer heat or inclement weather.
• Safety and accessibility: Many malls are designed with accessibility in mind and have security and management presence that make them comfortable spaces for diverse users, including families and seniors.
• Economic vitality: Retail anchors attract foot traffic that supports smaller local businesses, markets and street performers, creating a lively public realm.
• Transport connectivity: Being located near public transport makes malls logical congregation points for commuters and visitors.

Benefits for communities and cities

• Convenience: One-stop locations for shopping, services and leisure.
• Social cohesion: Public programming and events foster social interaction and local identity.
• Economic opportunity: Malls generate jobs, attract tourists and support local enterprises through market stalls or short-term retail spaces.
• Urban regeneration: Well-designed malls and pedestrian precincts can revitalise downtown areas and improve walkability.

Common challenges and criticisms

Malls face several challenges when functioning as public squares. Private ownership can limit spontaneous civic expression: mall management often sets rules that restrict protests or political gatherings. Over-commercialisation can marginalise non-consumers — public life that depends on spending excludes some community members. The dominance of chain retailers can reduce local character if not balanced by small businesses and cultural programming. Finally, when large malls are located outside city centres they can draw activity away from traditional main streets, contributing to urban sprawl.

Best practices for making malls successful civic spaces

1. Design for inclusion: Provide free seating, shade, play areas and accessible routes so all ages and abilities can use the space.
2. Mix uses: Blend retail with civic services, libraries, healthcare kiosks and community rooms to increase daily footfall and public value.
3. Program regular events: Markets, performances and cultural festivals attract people who aren’t primarily there to shop.
4. Support local traders: Allocate affordable short-term spaces for independent retailers and artisans to preserve local character.
5. Coordinate with public transport: Ensure strong connections to trains, trams and buses to reinforce the mall’s role as a meeting hub.

The future of Australian malls



Malls will continue to evolve. Many are shifting to mixed-use developments that include housing, offices and civic amenities, blurring the line between private retail property and public space. Technology — digital wayfinding, click-and-collect, and integrated services — will make malls more convenient, while sustainability measures (green roofs, energy-efficient lighting, waste reduction) will reduce environmental impact. If planners, managers and communities collaborate, Australian malls can remain more than places to buy things: they can be resilient, inclusive and active town squares that support civic life.

In short, the "Australian Mall" is now as much about people and place as it is about retail. By combining commerce, services and purposeful public space, these malls have become modern town squares where communities meet, celebrate and connect.