Vicinity Centres is an Australian real estate investment trust that owns, manages, and develops a portfolio of shopping centres and retail-led destinations across Australia, including assets such as Chadstone, QueensPlaza, and multiple DFO outlets.
Vicinity Centres is a major Australian real estate investment trust (A-REIT) that owns, manages, and develops shopping centres and retail destinations across Australia. Its portfolio includes flagship destinations such as Chadstone in Melbourne, QueensPlaza in Brisbane, and multiple DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) centres, along with a range of suburban and regional centres. Vicinity primarily provides retail space and property services to tenant businesses, manages car parks, sells centre-branded gift cards, and operates various customer services and events across its centres.
A Vicinity Centres charge may appear on your bank or card statement for several reasons. For everyday shoppers, the most common causes are parking fees at a Vicinity-managed car park, the purchase or top-up of a Vicinity or centre-branded gift card, event or experience bookings (e.g. school holiday activities, Santa photography, VIP events), or online pre-booked parking. If you’re a retailer or commercial tenant, the charge may relate to monthly rent, outgoings, marketing levies, or storage/office space. You may also see small temporary authorisation holds when adding a card for parking or gift card purchases, or recurring monthly/quarterly payments if you’ve set up direct debit for tenancy or parking accounts.
To verify a Vicinity Centres charge, start by checking where you were shopping on the transaction date and the day before—especially at Chadstone, DFO outlets, or any centre listed on vicinity.com.au. Look for matching receipts for parking, gift cards, or event bookings in your email, SMS, centre apps, or your digital wallet. If you still can’t identify the payment, contact the relevant shopping centre (via the “Find a centre” section on vicinity.com.au) or Vicinity customer service with the transaction date, amount, and the reference exactly as shown on your statement. For disputed or incorrect charges, your first step should be to contact Vicinity or the specific centre’s customer service desk; if that does not resolve the issue, you can then contact your bank or card provider to raise a formal dispute or chargeback.
Bank Statement Variations
2 known variations
These are the raw merchant codes that appear on bank and credit card statements that we've identified as belonging to Vicinity Centres.
Why did I get a charge from Vicinity Centres after visiting a shopping centre or DFO?
Most consumer charges from Vicinity Centres relate to services the company operates directly, such as paid parking, online parking pre-bookings, or the purchase of a Vicinity or centre-branded gift card. If you recently visited a Vicinity-managed centre (e.g. Chadstone, a DFO outlet, or another centre listed on vicinity.com.au), check whether you paid for parking, bought a gift card, or booked an in-centre event or experience. Individual store purchases are usually billed under the retailer’s name, not Vicinity, so a Vicinity descriptor generally points to centre-managed services rather than a shop.
What are common Vicinity Centres charge amounts and how do they usually appear on my statement?
Vicinity charges for shoppers typically range from small amounts (around AU$3–AU$20) for short-stay parking, up to larger amounts (e.g. AU$50, AU$100, AU$200) for gift card purchases. On your statement, they may appear with descriptors such as “VICINITY CENTRES,” “VICINITY PARKING,” the centre name (e.g. “CHADSTONE SHOPPING CENTRE”), or “DFO [location].” For business tenants, charges can be higher and billed monthly or quarterly for rent, outgoings, or marketing contributions, often with an invoice or reference number in the description.
Why do I see a small $1–$5 Vicinity Centres charge or a pending amount that later disappears?
Vicinity Centres or its payment providers may place a small temporary authorisation hold (often $1–$5) to verify your card when you add a payment method for parking, online bookings, or gift card purchases. This is not an actual charge and should either drop off or adjust to the final transaction amount within a few business days. If a small authorisation remains on your statement beyond 7–10 days, contact the relevant centre’s customer service or your bank with the exact transaction details for review.
How do I cancel or change a recurring Vicinity-related payment, such as parking or a tenant direct debit?
If you have an ongoing parking subscription or account (for example, a monthly or staff parking pass), log into the parking portal or account platform specified in your original signup email to manage or cancel your plan. For commercial tenants paying rent or outgoings via direct debit, you’ll need to contact Vicinity’s leasing or accounts team using the contact details on your lease or latest invoice to alter or cancel your payment arrangement. Always allow several business days before the next billing date for changes to take effect and keep written confirmation of any cancellation.
How can I request a refund or dispute a Vicinity Centres parking or gift card charge?
For parking issues (such as being charged incorrectly, barrier malfunctions, or duplicate transactions), contact the specific centre’s parking or customer service team as soon as possible, providing your vehicle registration, date/time, and a copy or screenshot of the charge. For Vicinity or centre-branded gift cards, refunds are generally only provided where there has been an error in processing or a duplicate charge, not for change-of-mind after activation. Start by visiting vicinity.com.au, navigate to your centre’s page, and use the listed phone or email contact; if the matter isn’t resolved, you can then ask your bank or card issuer about lodging a dispute.
I bought a gift card at a shopping centre—why does it show as a Vicinity Centres charge and how can I check the balance?
Vicinity manages the sale of many centre-branded or Vicinity-branded gift cards, so purchases often appear on your statement under “VICINITY CENTRES” or the specific centre name rather than “gift card.” The transaction amount will usually match the load value of the card (for example, AU$50, AU$100, or AU$200), plus any applicable issuance fee. To check your balance or transaction history, follow the instructions on the back of the card or the card carrier, which typically direct you to an online balance checker or a phone number operated on Vicinity’s behalf.
How can I contact Vicinity Centres about a charge I don’t recognise?
Start by going to vicinity.com.au and using the “Find a centre” feature to locate the shopping centre you recently visited or suspect is related to the charge. Each centre page lists contact details for customer service, including a phone number and often a contact form or email address; provide them with your full name, the exact transaction amount, date, and the descriptor from your bank statement. For tenant or leasing-related charges, refer to the contact email or phone number on your invoice or lease agreement to reach Vicinity’s accounts or leasing team directly.
Why am I receiving regular Vicinity Centres charges even though I don’t remember signing up for anything?
If you see recurring monthly or quarterly Vicinity charges, it may be linked to an ongoing service such as a parking subscription, storage or office space within a centre, or a commercial tenancy. Check your email for previous invoices, parking account confirmations, or lease documents under the same cardholder name, and review any direct debit or automatic payment agreements you may have signed. If you still can’t identify the source, contact the relevant centre or Vicinity’s accounts team with your transaction history so they can trace the charges to a specific account or contract.