Tipalea Reveals New Devonport Retail Centre

Leading retail developer Tipalea Partners has revealed a redesign of its $60 million Stony Rise Village shopping centre in Devonport, set to create an elevated consumer experience. With contractor Fairbrother expected to start construction in March 2026, the new neighbourhood retail centre is already 60% pre-leased.

Stony Rise Village will bring everyday convenience and enhanced competition to the region, with a prominent location adjacent to the Harvey Norman Homemaker Centre on the corner of Stony Rise Road and Friend Street in Stony Rise.

Expected to be complete and trading by mid-2027, the 6,300-square-metre retail hub is anchored by Woolworths, opening its largest supermarket in Tasmania’s north-west at Stony Rise Village.

Designed by architects i2C, the new design prioritises walkability, safety and accessibility, with landscaped public spaces, shaded pedestrian links, and outdoor seating that encourage social interaction and a sense of belonging.

“By integrating essential services with everyday needs, focusing on high-quality amenities, and fostering a strong public realm through community and nature-inspired design, the centre will become more than just a place to shop,” said Wendy Ooi, Associate – Senior Project Architect at i2C.

Tipalea says the revamped design focuses more on the consumer to deliver an improved shopping experience. Importantly, the size of the retail space remains the same, and the development will still integrate modern amenity with public art and bold architecture.

“We have a large footprint to play with, but ultimately it works best to keep the shops closer together. It will create a ‘high street feel’ for shoppers, and the car park will be easier to navigate as a result. This redesign minimises the impact of shopping centre essentials, like loading areas, that shoppers don’t want to see,” said Scott Spanton, CEO of Tipalea Partners.

According to Spanton, the early pre-leasing commitments reflect strong retailer sentiment, backed by the robust population growth in Stony Rise and Miandetta.

“Stony Rise Village is delivering essential retail infrastructure that is desperately needed in this fast-growing region. It will unlock greater convenience, choice, and competitive prices for the local community,” Scott Spanton said.

The Chemist is a national brand opening its first superstore in the region and is expected to attract customers from across the north-west with its unique offering and warehouse prices.

Woolworths’ latest-generation supermarket will also be its largest in the region at 4,000 square metres, with 400 square metres dedicated to online ‘Click & Collect’ and ‘Direct to Boot’ services.

As well as Woolworths and the Chemist, other retailers secured include The Coffee Club and a number of food and beverage operators. All leases were brokered by Nick Bond at Elders Commercial and Lewis Torkington and Ashleigh Wearne at ATD Retail.

“We expect to be able to announce even more leasing deals shortly. For the remaining tenancies, we are targeting quality food and beverage tenants and complementary services such as hairdressers and medical providers,” added Scott Spanton.

Stony Rise Village is set to be the most technologically advanced neighbourhood centre in the north-west. It will feature EV charging stations, full solar array, weather station, free Wi-Fi, wireless charging stations, CCTV throughout, car counters, duress intercoms and a building information dashboard.

It will also introduce a range of contemporary retail design features not seen before in Devonport – including a modern and welcoming parents’ room, abundant and convenient parking with shade sails, drive-through Click & Collect, leading-edge technology and security, safe pedestrian access, separate truck and loading access, and engaging public art.

Parking spaces are generously sized with double lines on both sides and there is dedicated parking for elderly, parents with prams, disabled drivers and RVs. Spaces for Taxis and Uber food delivery bays will also be provided.

Importantly, Stony Rise Village will also generate employment opportunities for over 1,200 people.

Tipalea Partners has been investing and creating jobs in Tasmania for over 15 years. It has successfully developed neighbourhood retail centres across Australia in locations such as Mackay in Queensland, Pimpama on the Gold Coast, Muswellbrook in the NSW Hunter Valley and Howrah, Kingston and Launceston in Tasmania.