Sunshine Plaza in Maroochydore has secured ten new store openings and major brand expansions across 2025 and into 2026, with LEGO, Joe’s Deli and Palermo confirmed as upcoming additions to Queensland’s eighth largest shopping centre.
The run of new arrivals reflects growing national retailer confidence in the Sunshine Coast as one of Australia’s fastest-expanding regional markets. The centre, which attracts ten million visitors a year and draws on a catchment that grew by roughly 10,000 new residents in 2025 alone, has become an increasingly attractive proposition for brands looking to establish or expand their presence outside the major capital city markets.
For Buderim residents and the broader Sunshine Coast community, the additions mean a noticeably stronger retail and dining offering within the region’s dominant centre, without the need to travel to Brisbane for brands and experiences that were previously unavailable locally.
What Arrived in 2025
The new tenant momentum built steadily across the year. Mecca expanded its existing tenancy mid-year, adding floor space to one of the centre’s most popular cosmetics destinations. The Knobby kiosk underwent a refurbishment, and Noosa Chocolates opened a new concept store, its second location within Sunshine Plaza, alongside the arrival of Priceline.
The second half of 2025 brought further additions. Studio Pilates opened in October, followed by Bubble Boy and an expanded Foot Locker in November. December delivered a strong finish with the simultaneous arrival of Nando’s, Ugg Express and Sushi Ari, rounding out a year that saw the centre’s tenancy mix broaden across food, footwear, beauty and wellness categories.
What’s Coming in 2026
Three confirmed additions are already in the pipeline ahead of Easter. LEGO will open its own branded store at Sunshine Plaza, joining a growing national footprint for the Danish toy brand in Australian shopping centres. Joe’s Deli and Palermo round out the confirmed pre-Easter arrivals, further strengthening the centre’s food and hospitality offer. Further announcements are expected after the Easter period.
A Centre Built for the Region’s Growth
Sunshine Plaza’s current form was shaped by a $440 million redevelopment completed in 2019, which added David Jones and Sephora to the tenancy mix and expanded the centre’s gross lettable area to over 107,000 square metres. The centre is jointly owned by The GPT Group and Lendlease’s APPF Retail fund and now houses more than 300 specialty retailers across its footprint in central Maroochydore.
One of the centre’s distinguishing features is its waterfront Riverwalk precinct, which brings restaurants, cafes and outdoor entertainment including paddle boats and a high ropes course that zips across the creek to the shopping complex. That combination of retail, dining and outdoor leisure has positioned Sunshine Plaza as something closer to a lifestyle destination than a conventional shopping centre, a distinction that has become increasingly important as retail spending patterns continue to shift.
Tourism plays a meaningful role in the centre’s performance, with up to 29 per cent of retail sales driven by visitors to the Sunshine Coast. That consistent tourist foot traffic alongside the region’s strong residential growth makes Sunshine Plaza’s catchment particularly compelling for national brands seeking reliable volumes outside of capital city locations.
Why This Matters to the Buderim Community
For Buderim residents, Sunshine Plaza sits at the centre of the Sunshine Coast’s retail geography, close enough to be a regular destination and comprehensive enough to make long trips to Brisbane increasingly unnecessary for most retail and dining needs. The arrival of LEGO, Nando’s and the other new tenants adds to that proposition, bringing brands that families and individuals from across the region have previously had to travel further to access.
The broader pattern of national brands choosing Sunshine Plaza as an expansion location reflects confidence in the region’s trajectory, and for a growing community like Buderim, that confidence translates into an improving local lifestyle offer year after year.
Sunshine Plaza is located at 154-164 Horton Parade, Maroochydore, and is open seven days a week. More information on new store openings and events is available at sunshineplaza.com.
Published 20-March-2026.
