Toombul Shopping Centre Is Returning, Here’s Everything You Need To Know

If you grew up on Brisbane/Meanjin’s north side, chances are Toombul Shopping Centre was a firm fixture in your weekly routine. For decades, it was Nundah’s go-to destination for weekend shopping, late-night Kmart runs, movie nights and family fun at the circus-themed arcade bar Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq.  

But that all changed in early 2022, when record-breaking rainfall flooded Toombul and caused widespread structural and electrical damage. With the centre deemed unsafe to reopen, leases were cancelled (displacing around 130 retailers) and demolition moved ahead in 2023. By early 2025, the site had been completely cleared, marking the end of an era.

Now, after years of uncertainty, Toombul is officially making a comeback—and its return is shaping up to be one of Brisbane’s biggest north side developments.

Image credit: Toombul by Irvine | Irvine Group

Brisbane-owned property development company Irvine Group is steering the revival, with projects like Rivermakers in Morningside under their belt and a genuine connection to Toombul meaning their focused on a long-term plan that services the local community first. 

Irvine has also brought in Aussie-owned independent advisory firm Urbis to ensure the plan is practical, sustainable, and resilient. 

So what will Toombul 2.0 actually look like? Irvine's vision is to create a contemporary shopping centre designed with the community at front of mind, featuring retail, dining and green spaces with connections to Kedron Park. There will be residential offerings incorporated into the site, but the primary focus is to support everyday needs and social activity for locals in surrounding suburbs like Nundah, Clayfield, Kalinga, Hendra and Northgate. 

The tenancy mix is yet to be determined, but Irvine knows you want to see similar retailers as before (looking at you Kmart), and are encouraging locals to share their thoughts. However, the top priority right now is ensuring the master plan is prepared to mitigate any future flood risk and also reinstating vital connections to public transport, like the Toombul bus interchange. 

You can check out the full proposal here. It's an ambitious project that will be years in the making, but has great potential to make Toombul once again a northside staple.  

Main image credit: Toombul Shopping Centre | Facebook