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“If we get the infrastructure delivered in the right way, then private sector developers will have greater confidence … and our community can thrive,” Walsh says. “Do it once, do it right.” Shefton Parker, of the Greater Sunshine Community Alliance, says the superhub works are a missed opportunity to give the area what it needs, and wants to know when the full station masterplan will be delivered. “There’s a lot of money that’s being spent on the untangling of the rail lines – but no investment into the actual station itself,” he says. Parker was part of a community reference group consulting with the state government about development plans for the Sunshine and Albion precincts, but the Department of Transport and Planning abruptly shut it down in June. The contrast is stark with the suburbs along the Suburban Rail Loop East project. There, the state government has undertaken extensive community consultation and developed detailed plans to transform the precincts surrounding the five stations along the $34.5 billion rail line between Cheltenham and Box Hill. “What we’re seeing again is Sunshine and the west being an afterthought rather than any significant priority for economic or social improvement,” Parker says. A spokesman for Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams and Precincts Minister Harriet Shing says they will confirm options and timelines for the Sunshine masterplan in coming months as plans for the track works are finalised. “Work is under way to co-ordinate the Sunshine Superhub and Sunshine Masterplan projects to deliver the best outcomes for the precinct,” the government spokesman says. “Our vision for Sunshine is to make it the centre of Melbourne’s booming west.” In 2023, The Age examined whether central Sunshine had the potential to be a second CBD. At the time, there were fewer than six high-rises. Since then, the only notable new developments have been a five-storey hotel and the Vietnamese Museum, which will open next year. The transformation of the heritage-listed John Darling and Son Flour Mill into a hotel, retail and office complex, and updating Sunshine Plaza with a six-storey commercial building, have yet to be realised. A thriving mini-city Ross Pelligra, a third-generation property developer with the Pelligra Group, specialises in renewing industrial sites and owns about a dozen properties in or near Sunshine, including the 100-year-old flour mill next to Albion station. Pelligra sees Sunshine’s potential as a second CBD because it has the land volume and the public infrastructure. “We believe in Sunshine so we’ve held on,” he says. Where the suburb has struggled, he says, is in convincing landowners to sell and investors to buy. Pelligra remains motivated to redevelop the 13,000-square-metre flour mill, but still needs permits and key market signals. He wants the Victorian government to be clear about its plan for Sunshine and to consider implementing incentives for developers and grants for employers. “You develop with the momentum of other developers, you can’t just do it on your own. It creates interest and different types of outcomes: housing, lifestyle, commercial,” he says. “[Investment in Sunshine] started and stopped. It just needs consistency … and if you get one or two towers going up a year, you’ll achieve that CBD feel by 2050.” Addressing Sunshine’s social disadvantage will be essential. Census data shows the suburb has higher unemployment, lower household incomes and more renters compared to the state average. Dawkins, WoMEDA’s chair, says creating jobs in Sunshine will help: “Economic development … when combined with deliberate strategies to address disadvantage, will play a big role in helping to solve the problem.” Like in many parts of Melbourne, residents worry about safety. Sunshine Business Association vice-president John Girardi, who runs a human resources company, says business owners and residents are troubled by homelessness and crime, in particular retail theft and car break-ins. “The perception … is that crime has gotten worse and police presence isn’t as strong as what it used to be,” Girardi says. “They feel less safe than five to 10 years ago.” Nonetheless, Girardi believes Sunshine has already come a long way and is evolving into a thriving mini-city with myriad business opportunities. Tammy Nguyen is excited to open the doors of the three-storey Vietnamese Museum – Australia’s first – late next year to tell the stories of refugees who fled after the Vietnam War. The museum’s chief executive says locating in Sunshine makes perfect sense. It highlights the suburb’s strong multiculturalism, she says. Almost 16 per cent of Sunshine residents have Vietnamese ancestry. Nguyen is confident that the museum, near Sunshine station, will boost the local economy by attracting visitors and tourists. “We love the vibrancy and diversity of Sunshine,” Nguyen says. “We are really hoping to assist the business community.” Brimbank Mayor Thuy Dang is pleased to see Sunshine getting the infrastructure attention it deserves. “Brimbank has waited patiently for this moment for a long time, while investment flowed to other regions,” Dang says. “Sunshine is the right choice for Melbourne’s second CBD.” The West of Melbourne Summit, presented by WoMEDA with The Age, is held on October 22-23. For details go to womeda.com.au Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. 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