The Super Centre above the Hurstville railway station was a grand plan that was never realised.
Conceived in 1956, it was to be a five-storey development, but the plans became more ambitious to make it eight storeys and then 10 storeys.
The first stage was to include railway station access and shopping concourse, with more shops, professional offices and home units to be added in two further stages
However, it never grew any higher than the building which, after prolonged interruptions, finally opened in 1965.
An estimated 8000 people lined Forest Road and crowded into the centre for the official opening by Premier Robin (Robert) Askin
Mr Askin (later Sir Robert) described it as “a red letter day for Hurstville, one of the most thriving shopping centres in Sydney”.
“The Super Centre will open a new era for retailing and shopping comforts and will be a great asset for this district,” he said.
No one realised just how wrong the prediction was until just one month later when nearby Roselands opened and revolutionised the shopping experience.
Westfield’s purchase of Miranda Fair and its subsequent expansion gave shoppers another attractive option.
Since then, various plans to extend the Super Centre, now named Hurstville Central and owned by Cerno, have failed to win approval, or lapsed.
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