Below is a 1971 newspaper advertisement promoting the sale of homes in the "Lani Gardens" complex in Bexley. Prices for villas started from $19,750, which would be equivalent to around $272,000 today (RBA Inflation Calculator).
From Source: Anonymous. 1964. "Modern shop centre on racetrack site". The Daily Telegraph, November 9: 21.
In 1964, The Lakes Shopping Centre (later renamed Eastlakes Shopping Centre) opened to serve the new estate being built on the former Rosebery Racecourse and surrounding suburbs. The centre traded in its original form until July 2025, when it was demolished as part of a redevelopment that will see a new shopping centre built along with apartments above the complex. The new centre will have 80 retailers (double the number of the original centre). Its redevelopment reflects a broader trend in which older shopping centres are being demolished and rebuilt with residential buildings above, as seen at Top Ryde City and Rockdale Plaza, turning shopping centres into communities in their own right.
But in the 1960s, it was regarded as one of the larger shopping centres in Sydney with 42 shops and parking for around 500 cars, anchored by Woolworths and Flemings. The centre was opened on November 12, 1964, and traded in its original form until July 2025.
Below is a feature from The Daily Telegraph, published on November 9 1964, to mark its opening.
Source: Anonymous. 1964. "Modern shop centre on racetrack site". The Daily Telegraph, November 9: 21.
The Sydney Morning Herald published its own preview feature on November 10, 1964.
Below is a 1964 newspaper advertisement from Parkes Developments promoting the sale of units at Eastlakes. Parkes Developments oversaw the development of homes at Eastlakes, which was built on the former Rosebery Racecourse.
Apartment prices for two-bedroom apartments began at £4950 ($9900), which is equivalent to approximately $170 000 today, according to the RBA Inflation Calculator.
Below is a 1999 newspaper advertisement promoting Stage 3 of apartment sales at the Plaza Apartments complex at Rockdale. Plaza Apartments was a three tower development built in the late 1990's atop the Rockdale Plaza Shopping Centre.
Apartments in this release started at $250 000 for a 2 bedroom apartment.
Below is a 1995 newspaper advertisement promoting the Ashton Square complex at Rockdale. The complex was built by Meriton. Ashton Square adjoins the Rockdale Plaza complex.
Source: Meriton Premier Apartments. 1995. "Ashton Square" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 24: 94.
Source: Dainford Limited. 1986. "Unique Hotel" (Advertisement). The Weekend Australian, May 10: Page Unknown.
This is the last entry of our current series of Sydney's "Never Builts".
Novotel Brighton Beach opened in 1990 as The Resort Hotel Brighton Beach before accquiring the Novotel Name in 1993. The four and a half star hotel rises 12 storeys above the suburb and replaced the Brighton Hotel.
Dainford Limited built the current hotel and retail complex, but in 1986 called for tenders to either manage the hotel/tavern operation or for an owner operator to joint venture the total complex.
The "Registration of Interest" as published in The Weekend Australian featured a different design to what was built. It appears that a taller, slender tower was proposed at around 19 storeys tall and was to be positioned in the south-western corner of the site.
However, there was nothing else which mentioned this proposed scheme, not even in the local newspaper - The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.
Dainford faced hurdles just to have a major hotel complex approved. It was opposed bv residents who feared that it could set the precedent for large scale developments along the western shores of Botany Bay while Rockdale Council supported the development for attracting tourists and commercial activity to the area.
