This was published 10 years ago
The 50th anniversary of the Roselands shopping centre
The Grace Bros. project was a retail game-changer — one of Australia's first shopping centres and the largest in the southern hemisphere. A Herald feature at the time of the opening in 1965 noted: "The visitor's first reaction to it is wonder. Wonder at the sort of courage that was needed to sink £6 million at a spot by-passed by commerce about half-way between Hurstville and Bankstown; respect for the men who had the necessary courage."
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A new world of self-service supermarkets and check-outs at the Roselands shopping centre in 1965.Credit:Peter Moxham
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Vince's Hair Stylists at Roselands Shopping Centre in 1965.Credit:Supplied
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Roselands' shopping centre's "rose fountain" with Grace Bros. in the background.Credit:National Library of Australia
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The famous "raindrop fountain" at Roselands shopping centre.Credit:National Library of Australia
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The cover of The Sydney Morning Herald's special supplement on the opening of Roselands shopping Centre, published on October 12, 1965.Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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The Herald's Roselands shopping centre supplement: "The woman shopper becomes aware that everything has been geared for her."Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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The Roselands supplement, published on October 12, 1965: "The shopping community centre is all enclosed and climate controlled to the temperature of a pleasant spring day, all year through."Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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The Roselands shopping centre supplement in The Sydney Morning Herald: the shopping centre featured a radio room for "Radio Roselands"; "come, see your favourite disc jockey, news reporter and radio personalities at work".Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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The supplement in the Herald encouraged readers to visit the shopping centre's "Coffee Roost", "high above the crowd with a box seat view of the exciting goings-on in the 'Fashion Square'."Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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Coles supermarket at Roselands shopping centre offered opening specials including ladies' aprons, half gallon cans of vanilla ice-cream and "loom pantettes".Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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The Roselands supplement noted that the "Four Corners Gourmet", a 1965 take on today's food court, was "an unusual eating-out idea".Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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Aimed squarely at the suburban housewife: the Roselands supplement in The Sydney Morning Herald lured ladies with promises of "a restful, glamour place to meet your friends" (the Rose Tea Room); "Seventeen, a fashion shop "geared for the 14 to 19 pacesetters"; and the largest food hall in Sydney.Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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The Roselands shopping centre was a Grace Bros. initiative. Housewives shopping at the centre's Grace Bros. department store were offered a range of appliances from an A.W.A. 7 Transistor radio, to a Two-Brush floor polisher.Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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The Roselands supplement in The Sydney Morning Herald: Grace Bros. advertised "simulated leather" bags, "matinee necklets" and easy-care cardigans.Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald
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Moore's pharmacy delivery van at the new Roselands shopping centre.Credit:Peter Moxham
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A swimwear model at Roselands shopping centre preparing for opening.Credit:Peter Moxham