Bankstown Square opened on 21 September 1966 by Lady Cutler, the wife of the then NSW governor Roden Cutler. The centre was developed and own by Lend Lease Corporation and was at the time Australia's largest shopping centre, and remained for many years the flagship property in Lend Lease's portfolio. It was also one of Sydney's first major shopping centres. Bankstown Central featured David Jones, Big W department store, Woolworths, Nock & Kirby and 100 stores. The development of the shopping centre was a moment of significance in the development of Bankstown as a satellite centre of south-western Sydney. Not only did it bring major retailers such as David Jones Limited, the premium department store, to the area for the first time, it also became a centre of community and governmental service provision for south-western Sydney.