CV Media & Signage undertook a significant project at Australia Fair Shopping Centre in Southport, Queensland as part of their $50 million dollar investment to revitalise the shopping centre. A key component of this investment package was introducing the new Australia Fair rebranding externally, essential for aligning the outer profile of the centre with its new, modernised brand.

CV’s responsibilities in this project included supplying and installing blade signs for the new Food and Beverage Lane; adding new external under awning signs outside refurbished shops, and creating new high-level signage near the Planet Fitness complex. 

A standout feature was the fabricated lettering of “AUSTRALIA FAIR” with RGBW lighting, positioned at three external locations on custom-built frameworks. These included eye-catching 3-metre-high letters extending 30 metres along the main shopping centre frontage on Marine Parade. Additionally, CV Media & Signage  installed two 7-metre by 7-metre tenancy sign structures, each featuring four lightboxes to advertise major tenants.

This project presented unique challenges, particularly regarding the installation of its larger elements. The fabricated letter sets required engineered frameworks and back stays, as there were no existing structures for attachment. These letters were designed to have a “floating look,” necessitating an unobtrusive framework. Installing high-level letters on Level 12 involved constructing a purpose-built scaffold and coordinating the transportation of materials through car parks, rope access, lifts, and stairwells, in collaboration with scaffolders, builders, and centre management. 

The large letter set on level 4 carpark necessitated night installation, entailing lane closures, traffic management, and crane work. Precision was critical in this process, as the fixing brackets had to align exactly with the framework’s fixing spigots. 

Another challenge was mounting the 7-metre by 7-metre tenancy signs on a sloped carpark wall, which had to appear vertical over four levels, requiring extensive engineering and manufacturing of framework and back-stays. The vertical lift shaft letter set demanded a concealed framework behind feature battens, leading to the development of a novel spigot framework.

To overcome the complexities that come with such complicated installations, the Project Manager developed work methodologies for all of the external sign installations that detailed the day-by-day install program and method for each sign type.

An additional complexity was integrating the RGBW lighting into the Building Maintenance System and the Centre Management’s WIFI and LAN. This task necessitated close coordination with the data contractor and the building systems contractor. 

CV engaged a lighting consultant, Creative Lighting, who supplied the necessary drivers and control gear. This integration permitted the Centre Management to control the lighting of the high-level letters from within the building and remotely via a tablet through WIFI. 

The RGBW lighting’s programmable features enabled the shopping centre to set colours and effects for specific calendar days or events, such as Australia Day, ANZAC Day, and Chinese Lunar New Year, preprogrammed into the lighting system.

CV was selected for our ability to understand and provide engineering solutions for both the bespoke signage and the complex installation methods required. Our expertise and manufacturing capabilities were crucial in delivering this project amid numerous engineering, installation and logistical challenges.

The project’s outcome significantly modernised the look of the Australia Fair Shopping Centre. The “AUSTRALIA FAIR” lettering and tenancy signage now prominently stand out, visible from great distances across the shopping precinct and beyond, even reaching the Gold Coast waterways. This project by CV not only revitalised the centre but also established it as a prominently branded and visually captivating landmark on the Gold Coast.