During the 1950s and 60s, shopping in Australia changed dramatically. Firstly, the country’s growing affluence meant more people owned cars and refrigerators. Secondly, improvements in manufacturing and packaging resulted in a greater number of products for the high street’s newest grocers — the self service supermarket.
 |
| With refrigerators, housewives could now purchase a week's worth of meat instead of buying meat daily from the butchers.The opening of Hillsdale Woolworths ,1962. Courtesy of Woolworths Heritage Centre |
 |
| In these modern day supermarkets, skilled male grocers were replaced by female cashiers. The opening of Hillsdale Woolworths ,1962. Courtesy of Woolworths Heritage Centre |
The expansion of Sydney's suburbia during this period also saw the development of regional shopping centres.
Within these complexes large supermarkets, such as Woolworths, became important tenants and acted as a draw card for customers.
Here in the Botany district, the transformation of
Rosebery Racecourse into the suburb of Eastlakes brought us the Lakes
Shopping Centre.
 |
| Exterior of the Lakes Shopping Centre, c.1968 . Copyright of State of NSW through the Department of Justice and Attorney General, reproduced courtesy of the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (d2_40890) |
When this centre opened, in 1964, it had onsite parking for 450 cars and
aimed to attract 16,000 shoppers from within a quarter mile radius of
the centre. In order to create a safe and friendly shopping area, shops
and cars were clearly separated.
 |
| Interior of the Lakes Shopping Centre, c.1968. Copyright of State of NSW through the Department of Justice and Attorney General, reproduced courtesy of the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (d2_40887) |
This was a big departure from the old
fashioned shopping strips, such as Mascot, which were now suffering from a lack of
parking.
 |
This photo was taken as part of a study by council into parking congestion at Mascot, c.1960s
City of Botany Bay Library & Museum |
