For over four decades I have been a rail and bus photographer.
However, during this time I have aimed the lens at other subjects, be they different transportation, scenery, buildings and other bollocks.
Given these do not really fit the scope of my other sites, I felt compelled to set up a new site so as to inflict my other photographic garbage upon the world. While primarily Philippine and Australian content, there will be the occasional forays into Fiji and Hong Kong. Perhaps other locations should the current pandemic ever allow it.
So sit back and enjoy, or hate, even be indifferent. That choice is purely up to you.
Saturday, 15 November 2025
EASTLAKES SHOPPING CENTRE - REDEVELOPMENT - PART 4
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Farewell to the decrepitude of Eastlakes Shopping Centre
Part 4
Welcome to the fourth installment.
A little south of Sydney, tucked deep in the bosom of Eastlakes, once stood a shopping centre so defiantly decrepit it felt less like neglect and more like a political statement. While new, shiny malls sprouted across the suburbs like steroidal mushrooms—complete with endless crowds, $12 smoothies, and the emotional depth of a PowerPoint template—this one refused to budge. Mostly because no one cared enough to knock it down. Until now.
Built in 1964 (because who doesn’t love brown tiles and existential despair?), the “Lakes Shopping Centre” was plonked right in the middle of what used to be a racecourse. Naturally, the next logical step after horse racing was a strip of discount stores and a fish shop that smelled… oddly familiar.
Surrounded by a stunning sea of red-brick sameness, the centre was many things: a relic, a social hub, a haven for pigeons, and an architectural cry for help. But for me, it was personal. Armed with a camera and an unwholesome affection for crumbling buildings, I set out to document its demolition—because nothing says closure like watching your childhood memories get flattened by an excavator in glorious 4K. :-)
I used to come here with my grandparents, mostly for McDonald’s. It was a sacred monthly ritual involving Big Macs and, on one memorable occasion, mild food poisoning. So when the mall’s fate was sealed, I did what any sentimental weirdo with too much time would do: started a blog series no one asked for, but thankfully has enjoyed.
This chapter kicks off with the demise of the former office building, closely followed by the shops (and a medical centre) that existed along Evan Avenue—goodbye walls, hello yawning holes—and completes at the commencement of the former McDonalds ending which will be covered in the next thrilling edition.
You're welcome.
A huge thank you to the team at Moits for your support, encouragement, and friendship. Have never met a better team of people.
Work on the office block was continuing and, as seen in the photo below, had reached a point where the scaffolding along Evans Avenue was visible.
Attention had also been turned back to the south end of the site with guys partaking in tree removal. Interestingly they skipped around 3 or 4 of them which have been left behind. The reason for this is thus far unknown.
Above and six below.
Final end of the office block is brought down.
Photos: Brad Peadon
That floor has taken on a bit of a bow.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Dental 99 had a little damage at the rear due to the nearby demolition, and it would soon become the first of the shops along Evans Avenue to go.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Inside 'Australia-Babylon Jewellers'.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Eastlakes Shopping Centre gets smaller and smaller as they move ever closer to the main entrance doors on Evans Avenue.
Photos: Brad Peadon
Above and three below.
Removal the the perimeter trees along Barber Avenue.
The office building had been reduced to little more than one surviving end wall of the bottom level. See this in the first photo. They were in the process of removing the scaffolding.
The big development on this visit was the commencement of work on the former area of the 'Budget Beaters' shop (see the larger red X)
Last remaining part of the office block was this entrance, and small bit of wall facing Evans Avenue with the now somewhat pointless 'closed' sign on the door.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and five below.
On its final day of existence, we see the remaining small corner of the office block being demolished.
Photos: Brad Peadon
Above and five below.
Farewell Eastlakes 'Budget Beaters' store.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The Evans Avenue entrance is beginning to look a little sad.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Moits sprinkler truck on Evans Avenue.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and two below.
Bobcat expertly used to clean up all the remains of the tree removal.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Keeping the dust issue down is taken seriously by the Moits guys.
Photos: Brad Peadon
Some signs of the old carpark entrance still survive.
Photo: Brad Peadon
This small section of ornate fencing has long baffled me.
Was it once part of a bigger section?
Was it found on a local cleanup an used?
I'd be curious to know if there was more to it than this in the distant past?
Save for the stairs down to the bottom level, very little was left of the office block by this mornings visit. All the scaffold had also been packed up for moving.
The 'Budget Beaters' section was, for the most part, obliterated also, leaving just one semi intact store left on the inside of the main entrance next to the old KFC.
Above and two below.
Eastlakes 'Budget Beaters' is just about kaput.
Photos: Brad Peadon
Office block reduced to rubble.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The scaffolding from the office block had once again been packed up and ready to be taken.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
A few surviving signs of the old office block.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Dental 99 is slowly meeting it's demise.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Dust sprinkling.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Main Eastlakes entrance off Evans Avenue.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Sprinkler truck at the Evans Avenue worksite entrance.
As reported to me yesterday afternoon, the medical centre and laundromat (once a KFC) had been brought down, with only a small part of the formers wall still standing.
Also gone was the main entrance doors, leaving only the bakery, and despite earlier thoughts, the post office, along the Barber Avenue (east) side. However work had commenced on them during this visit.
Above and two below.
Attension has turned to the isolated bakery/post office section of the former shopping centre.
Photos: Brad Peadon
A shrine along Barber Avenue at the rear of the shopping centre area. These are used for paying respect to ancestors.
It is outside their property, so isn't really relevant to the article, and is also quite safe from the nearby work. However I thought it interesting.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Trees along Barber Avenue are now completely gone. It may have been completed in the last couple of days as I had not visited the rear. Photo: Brad Peadon
Inside 'Australia-Babylon Jewellers' some of the wall decoration has been removed since our photo back on the 8th of October. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Eastlakes pizza shop is looking a little sickly. Photos: Brad Peadon
Troy Kebabs had less than 24 hours to go. Photo: Brad Peadon
Laundromat (formerly KFC) and medical centre foundations are all that is left there. Photo: Brad Peadon
What used to be the main entrance off Evans Avenue. Photo: Brad Peadon
Eastlakes Medical Centre, or what was left of it. Photo: Brad Peadon
The last remaining portion of medical centre wall. Photo: Brad Peadon
It was the big day today, with the last retail shops of the main shopping centre area coming down.
For those that are interested in a little pointless retail history trivia. As the last row of shops didn't all come down at once as expected, the 'Crystal Lake Chinese Restaurant' became the very last one standing.
A huge thank you to Tony Moit for the heads up on this historic moment. Without which, I would have been oblivious to this happening till the next morning.
Bakery and post office. Photo: Brad Peadon
Hey Woolworths, I think you left something behind in the rush to leave. Photo: Brad Peadon
Tony Moit, is one of the company owners and a really nice guy. It has been a pleasure to know him. Photo: Brad Peadon
The final shops were in their final couple of hours. Photo: Brad Peadon
Fellow history nerd Jason Anthony surprised me with his attendance. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Preparing to pull the last shops over.
Photos: Brad Peadon
Above and twelve below.
The Evans Avenue shops are in their final hours of existence as Moits prepares to bring them down.. Photos: Brad Peadon
Jason set up to record some Eastlakes history.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The final moment had come.
In a few minutes the final shops will be down and getting cleaned up.
For my fellow trivia fans, the Crystal Jade put up a fight and became the last shop standing in the old mall.
Goodbye Eastlakes Shopping Centre. Photo: Brad Peadon
Discussing how it is to be done. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and four below.
Setting up for the final demolishing of the main centre.
Photos: Brad Peadon
About 15 minutes later it was all over for the main retail section of the mall.
Think that stubborn wall was part of the 'Crystal Lake Chinese'. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Please take a moment to consider the now homeless. Photo: Brad Peadon
Below: Not real.
Above and ten below.
With the last row of shops now consigned to history, the cleanup starts. Over the next couple of days all traces of these shops will be gone.
Photos: Brad Peadon
Go Go Gozleme has Go Go Gone!.
Photo: Brad Peadon
No there was no fire, but saw this passing through soon after.
With the main retail part of the site all gone, attention was now on removing the foundation of the Woolworths Supermarket and general sorting and cleaning up of the site.
The site of the last shops the next morning with cleaning up well advanced. Photo: Brad Peadon
North-west from the former east dock. Photo: Brad Peadon
South-west from the former east dock. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Ripping into the foundation of the former Woolworths Supermarket. Photo: Brad Peadon
Mostly took this shot due to the lighting and cloud formation. :-) Photo: Brad Peadon
Pile of scrap metal from the centre. Photo: Brad Peadon
Cleaning up around the bakery and post office.
Anyone who has watched the driver of this bobcat get around would have to be impressed. I've never seen anyone operate one of these so skillfully.
I think he was a little suspect of my photography at first, but if you see this, you handle those things incredibly. Photo: Brad Peadon
What once was the medical centre, now all cleaned up. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Again it was about the lighting and clouds :-) Photo: Brad Peadon
With most of it all now gone, I took a weekend off.
Returning today, they were still working on the Woolworths foundation and general cleanup.
It was noted that people had turned up to put timber protection around the trees on Evans Avenue. They had just started during this visit.
Most of the Woolworths foundation has been removed and I noticed this interesting attachment sifting through the dirt looking for any large objects I guess. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below The all important sprinking to keep the dust down is being done as they clear out guff laying on the former customer ramp. Photos: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
The cleanup continues. Photos: Brad Peadon
They had just started putting protection around the bases of the Evans Avenue trees. Photo: Brad Peadon
Looking south-west from the former east dock on Barber Avenue. Photo: Brad Peadon
Looking north-west from the former east dock on Barber Avenue. Photo: Brad Peadon
Large cement blocks sitting near the former post office site, assumed to have been part of the Woolworths Supermarket foundation and awaiting removal. Photo: Brad Peadon
Things worthy of update are currently quite few as they continue to mostly just clean up the site, primarily the massive amount of guff that was the foundation of Woolworths.
The big pile of steel from the removal of the final shops had been taken away in the last 24 hours.
No signs of movement on the two final structures, those being the former McDonalds and the building that was behind the former BKK Oriental Supermarket.
All the trees have received the protective covering prior to construction commencing.
Photo: Brad Peadon
A load of waste departs the site, turning into Evans Avenue.
The only thing noted different to yesterdays activity was that they were digging up the footpath (private area, not public footpath) in front of the recently demolished shops on Evans Avenue.
Looking south-east across the site. Photo: Brad Peadon
A new site office (?) has turned up.
I assume it will replace the current office in the former McDonalds so it can come down also. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below
XN-54AX takes on another load of water.
Photos: Brad Peadon
While not confirmed, the survival of this building has been said to be due to still having power connected. It is thought to be the switch room for the whole centre.
Photo: Brad Peadon
South-east corner of the site where Woolworths once stood. Photo: Brad Peadon
Today it looked like all the foundations down to the pizza shop were now gone. Something I will hopefully check out tomorrow.
They have also been digging down the other side of the final wall left of the office block. I suspect that will soon go. There has also been some removal of the final surviving bit of the brick wall foundation behind Woolies at the south dock area.
Changes were mostly limited to the last remaining bit of wall at the rear dock having been wiped out, and the breaking up of the foundation continuing. This would be the last time I see the foundation of the former KFC (laundromat) and medical centre.
The foundation of the old Kentucky Fried is still there, however that would have changed when I returned two days later. Photo: Brad Peadon
The area around the east dock is slowly being removed. Photo: Brad Peadon
Have been a tad on the lazy side so haven't been back since Monday. In the meantime, they had removed all the foundations of the laundromat (former KFC) and medical centre. They appeared to be breaking this up while I was there this morning. The vast majority of the foundation looks to have now gone, with former Maccas, switchroom building, and carpark trolley bad being the only significant remains other than some short sections of low walls. Western fence line shows signs of criminal activity 🙁
That foundation will all be gone soon.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Looking north over the site from the south fence. Photo: Brad Peadon
Looking north-east over the site. Photo: Brad Peadon
Looking south-east over the site. Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below
Breaking up the rubble that was the medical centre and laundromat (Kentucky Fried). Photo: Brad Peadon
Farewell laundromat and medical centre. Photo: Brad Peadon
Was told the former McDonalds will be going this coming Monday 10th November. Photo: Brad Peadon
How it looked in the period between being a McDonalds and becoming the display centre.
It still retained the McDonalds look at this time.
Image copyright of Google and used as per their terms and conditions.
The park side of the former McDonalds (later display centre). Photo: Brad Peadon
Suspect I found where those thieves have been coming in. Photo: Brad Peadon
The bulk of work appeared to now be concentrated on breaking up the smaller carpark foundation at the rear and on the 'now' dirt area near the former west dock.
The surviving bit of brick wall along Barber Street, near the north-east corner was also noted to finally be gone.
Above and four below.
Work continuing around the lower carpark area at the rear of the site.
Photos: Brad Peadon
Along the east side of the side, the remaining bit of wall behind the medical centre and discount shop has recently disappeared.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
This low barrier has been set up along the Evans Avenue fenceline.
Thanks to a call from Shane and Jo-anne Greenway I raced to the site after lunch to find them working on the former McDonalds (later supermarket, then display centre).
It was an initial look at what they were facing with this building.
The switch house at the rear of the site will likely be there for some weeks yet.
Above and ten below.
The first day of the last retain demolition as attention turns towards the old McDonalds.
Photos: Brad Peadon
With all the display centre hoarding coming down, the familiar old McDonalds building can be seen one last time.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Part 5 will cover all the McDonalds demolition, as well as a BBQ, along with the ongoing final cleanup and preparation prior to the construction phase.
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