At a glance
- Free period
- 3 hours for everyone; 4 hours for Westfield members who have linked their number plate in the Westfield app
- Paid parking
- Standard rate: $3 for 3 to 3.5 hours, rising to $35 at 7 hours or more; the maximum daily rate and the overnight fee are both $35
- Free at night
- Free parking with entry after 6pm, as long as you exit before 6am
- How it works
- Number plate recognition; there is no boom gate at entry and no paper ticket
- Spaces
- 5,980 car spaces; entrances off Nepean Highway, Bay Road, Chesterville Road and Karen Street
- Train
- Southland station on the Frankston line, outside the main entry near Coles and Kmart, off Bay Road
- Who it’s for
- Anyone driving to, catching the train to or being dropped at Westfield Southland, 1239 Nepean Highway, Cheltenham
- What to do now
- Westfield lists the nearest car park for each anchor store in the tables below
- Last checked
- Sunday 8 November 2026, against Westfield’s Southland parking and getting here pages
- Not yet confirmed
- The bus routes that serve the centre, which Westfield’s page leaves to Metlink, and any train timetable changes on the Frankston line
Westfield Southland gives every driver 3 hours of free parking, and 4 hours to Westfield members who connect their number plate in the Westfield app. After that the standard rate starts at $3 and tops out at $35. This guide sets out Westfield’s own parking rates, its list of car parks and the nearest stores to each one, and how the centre describes getting there by train, bus and taxi. All figures are as of 8 November 2026.
The centre is at 1239 Nepean Highway, Cheltenham, Victoria 3192. Westfield tells drivers using navigation to enter that address, and says it has 5,980 car spaces. Its main car park entrances are off Nepean Highway, Bay Road, Chesterville Road and Karen Street.
How does parking work at Westfield Southland?
Westfield says Southland uses number plate recognition technology to replace paper tickets. There is no boom gate at entry, so a driver can go straight into the car park. If the visit is under 3 hours, parking is free.
On the way out, Westfield’s page says to proceed straight to the exit. The system recognises the number plate and the boom gate opens automatically. If the stay is longer than 3 hours, the fee can be paid by credit card at a pay station or at the exits directly. The system recognises the payment and the boom gate opens. Westfield also offers a quicker exit through its app, by adding a card to the account.
Westfield’s parking page names a concierge team on level 2, between Portmans and Salera’s, for help. The parking enquiries number on the page is 03 9582 5600.
How much does parking cost?
Westfield publishes two rate tables, both for Monday to Sunday. The difference is the length of the free period.
| Time parked | Standard rate | Member rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 hours | Free | Free |
| 3 to 3.5 hours | $3.00 | Free |
| 3.5 to 4 hours | $4.00 | Free |
| 4 to 4.5 hours | $7.00 | $7.00 |
| 4.5 to 5 hours | $9.00 | $9.00 |
| 5 to 5.5 hours | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| 5.5 to 6 hours | $19.00 | $19.00 |
| 6 to 6.5 hours | $24.00 | $24.00 |
| 6.5 to 7 hours | $29.00 | $29.00 |
| 7 hours or more | $35.00 | $35.00 |
Both tables show a maximum daily rate of $35.00 and an overnight fee of $35.00. Both also carry the same line: “We offer free parking with entry after 6pm ensuring you exit before 6am.”
How do I get the fourth free hour?
Westfield says members get 4 hours of free parking at Southland and non-members get 3. The steps on the page are:
- Download the free Westfield app.
- Go to the “Parking” tab in the app and enter your number plate information to connect your membership to ticketless parking.
- That is all; Westfield says you will then receive 4 hours of free parking.
The terms on the page say the 4-hour offer is only available at Westfield Southland, is subject to the Westfield membership terms and conditions, and requires you to be a member, or sign up to become one, and to enter your vehicle’s number plate.
The app also has a parking profile. According to Westfield’s FAQ, a member can update vehicle details, set a 30-minute parking timer and view parking transactions there.
Can I get more free time at the cinema?
Yes, for non-members. Westfield’s getting here page says customers who see a movie at Village Cinemas Southland receive one extra hour of free parking with cinema ticket validation. The parking FAQ gives the detail: scanning the barcode on the Village Cinemas tax invoice, or on the extra barcode coupon given to people who bought online, at any pay station in the centre gives one extra hour, for a total of four hours free from the time of ticket entry. After scanning, you enter your car registration and pay if required.
The page adds two limits. You cannot validate the cinema barcode at the exit boom gate, and the extra hour is “applicable for non-Westfield Members only”.
What if I leave and come back the same day?
Westfield’s FAQ says the free period can restart, with a condition: there must be one hour between exit and re-entry to receive another 3 hours of free parking. The conditions of entry say the same thing, that a driver is entitled to 3 hours free on the first entry, and on a return the same day only gets another 3 hours if the time of entry is more than one hour after the previous exit.
Which car park is closest to my shop?
Westfield’s car parks are colour coded, and its page lists which colour sits closest to which anchor store or area.
| Where you are going | Car park, per Westfield |
|---|---|
| Village Cinemas, dining, Timezone and Zone Bowling | Multideck car park off Nepean Highway (Orange), or the car park access off Nepean Highway; Green car park, Level 3 |
| Food court and David Jones | Multideck car park off Nepean Highway (Orange) |
| Coles, Kmart and Myer | Car park access off Bay Road (Blue) |
| JB Hi-Fi and Target | Car park access off Karen Street (Yellow) |
| Big W | Car park access off Tennyson Street (Green) |
| Fresh food | Car park access off Chesterville Road (Green) |
The page also lists each car park by name, with its entrance and nearest stores:
| Car park | Entrance | Nearest stores listed |
|---|---|---|
| Green P1 | Chesterville Road | Commonwealth Bank, Target, ALDI, Westpac |
| Green P2 | Tennyson Street | Myhealth Medical Centre |
| Green P3 | Corner of Karen and Tennyson Streets | Timezone and Zone Bowling, BIG W, rebel, Village Cinemas, Toymate |
| Yellow P1 | Karen Street | JB Hi-Fi, David Jones |
| Orange P1 (multideck, Level 1) | Nepean Highway | Star Car Wash |
| Orange P2 (multideck, Level 2) | Nepean Highway | Village Cinemas, TGI Fridays |
| Orange P2 Upper | Nepean Highway | Pandora, Michael Hill |
| Orange P3 (between P2 Upper and P3 Upper) | Nepean Highway | Village Cinemas |
| Orange P3 Upper | Nepean Highway | KFC, Soul Origin |
| Blue P1 | Bay Road | Coles, Kmart |
| Blue P1 Coles Express | Nepean Highway | Coles, Drummond Golf |
| Blue P2 (Level 2) | Bay Road | Myer, Apple Store |
| Blue P3 (Level 3) | Bay Road | Myer |
Westfield’s getting here page adds that the centre has “Parents with Prams” spaces near the centre entries, disabled car spots, and colour coded car parks to help you remember where you parked.
What is the rule for mobility permit holders?
Westfield says customers with a Mobility Permit, a Veterans disability card or a double time permit receive free parking on presentation of a valid permit at a concierge desk. The page puts the desks on level 1, near Kmart, and on level 2, near Degani Cafe. Permit holders who do not want to download the app can have the free parking validated at either desk. If a permit has expired, the page says to visit the concierge desk to renew it to keep the parking discount.
Can I get to Southland by train?
Yes. Westfield says Southland station, on the Frankston line, offers direct shopping centre access. The station is outside the main entry, close to Coles and Kmart, off Bay Road. The page tells passengers to check Metro Trains for the Frankston line before leaving, for up-to-date information on line closures and track work.
Which buses go to Southland?
Westfield’s page places the bus stop interchange at the bottom of the escalators outside Witchery and Pandora on level 2. It does not list route numbers. It says to check Metlink Melbourne for the routes that serve the centre.
Where are the taxi ranks?
The getting here page lists two taxi ranks: at the Chesterville Road entry, near the Commonwealth Bank, and at the Nepean Highway entry, near Village Cinemas.
What are the concierge hours this week?
Westfield lists the Southland Concierge hours on the same page, as of Sunday 8 November. The concierge is on level 2 between Portmans and Salera’s according to the parking page.
| Day | Concierge hours |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8 November | 10am to 5pm |
| Monday 9 November | 9am to 5:30pm |
| Tuesday 10 November | 9am to 5:30pm |
| Wednesday 11 November | 9am to 5:30pm |
| Thursday 12 November | 9am to 9pm |
| Friday 13 November | 9am to 9pm |
| Saturday 14 November | 9am to 5pm |
These are the concierge’s hours, not the centre’s trading hours. The concierge phone number on the page is 03 9582 5600. Southland’s Christmas trading hours are covered in our Melbourne shopping centres Christmas trading hours guide.
What is still unknown?
Westfield’s pages do not give bus route numbers, and they say nothing about how full each car park gets at any hour. The parking page does not describe pay station locations beyond “a pay station or at the exits”, and the live state of Frankston line services is not on Westfield’s page; it points to Metro Trains for that. The rate tables carry no end date, so the figures here are as of 8 November 2026.
Sources
- Westfield Southland — Parking (checked 8 November 2026)
- Westfield Southland — Getting here (checked 8 November 2026)
Featured image: Westfield Southland, Cheltenham, 2021 (photo: Celco85 / CC BY-SA 4.0, text added). Other photos are from Wikimedia Commons.
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Westfield or Scentre Group.