Fishermans Bend
Australia’s largest urban renewal precinct, transforming into a global centre for advanced manufacturing, engineering and design on Melbourne’s CBD fringe.
The Arden Urban Renewal Precinct will be a large-scale employment and innovation hub, strategically developed to grow jobs and train workforce talent.
It aspires to accommodate around 34,000 jobs and 15,000 residents.
It will feature life-sciences, health, digital technology and education centres, and complement Australia’s pre-eminent biomedical cluster in Parkville.
There are plans for new campus' for the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital to be established in the precinct.
At a glance
- 485 hectares, located as close as 1km from Melbourne’s CBD
- 5 interconnected sub-precincts, supporting advanced manufacturing, engineering, defence, aerospace, transport, and enabling technologies
- 32-hectare Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct – where defence, industry and academia collaborate to develop transformative technologies
- Home to global and ASX-listed leaders, including Boeing, Siemens, Leonardo, NEXTDC and Polynovo
- $7B+ development pipeline, backed by major public and private infrastructure investment
Fishermans Bend
Why Fishermans Bend?
Unmatched scale, location and certainty
- Rare inner-city scale in a tightly constrained metropolitan market
- Long-term planning framework providing certainty for capital-intensive, long-horizon investments
- Flexibility to support establishment, expansion and co-location within a single precinct
A globally significant advanced industry ecosystem
With deep industrial roots and a strong legacy of innovation, Fishermans Bend is purpose-built to support advanced industry at scale.
- Established cluster of global and ASX-listed leaders, creating immediate ecosystem depth.
- A major Department of Defence research and development presence, supporting defence, aerospace, transport and dual-use technologies.
- Strong integration with research and talent pipelines, including the University of Melbourne’s new engineering and design campus.
- Designed to support the full innovation lifecycle, from R&D and prototyping through to commercialisation and global scale.
Major anchors include:
Infrastructure built for advanced industry
Fishermans Bend is being delivered with industrial-grade infrastructure to support capital-intensive and technology-led operations.
- High-capacity digital infrastructure, including major data centre investment to support advanced manufacturing, AI, defence and engineering applications.
- Direct access to ports, freight and logistics networks, reducing supply-chain complexity and time-to-market.
- Staged government investment in roads and utilities, aligning infrastructure delivery with development timelines.
Sub-precincts for consideration
Each sub-precinct offers a distinct investment profile, from industrial and innovation-led development through to premium commercial, residential and mixed-use opportunities.
- Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct and Employment and Innovation Area – anchor precinct.
- Montague – mixed use precinct, including co-working spaces, creative businesses and studios.
- Wirraway – arts design, creative studios and adaptive industrial spaces.
- Sandrige – commercial centre, premium office space, retail and diverse housing.
- Lorrimer – mixed use precinct positioned on the Yarra River, offering rare opportunities for large scale residential and commercial development.
Supporting government policy
- Advancing Manufacturing – The Fishermans Bend Opportunity – A Victorian Government strategy to position Fishermans Bend as a global centre for advanced manufacturing, engineering and design, providing long-term policy alignment and investor confidence.
Recent and ongoing investment
- $197.7 million Stage 1 of Victorian Government infrastructure improvements
- NEXTDC’s $2 billion M4 AI Factory, Mission Critical Operations Centre and Technology Centre of Excellence
- University of Melbourne Engineering Campus – Phase 1
- $7 billion Total Development Pipeline across 60+ sites (as of May 2025)
- $2.7 billion planned for essential urban renewal infrastructure
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What investment opportunities exist in Fishermans Bend?
Fishermans Bend offers opportunities across advanced manufacturing, engineering, defence, aerospace, technology and high-density commercial and residential development.
How does government planning support investment certainty?
Fishermans Bend is Australia’s largest urban renewal project, guided by long-term planning frameworks, infrastructure investment and dedicated government coordination.
Can Invest Victoria help with partnerships and location decisions?
Yes. Invest Victoria works with investors to identify precinct locations, connect with research institutions and industry partners, and access government support.
