La Trobe Precinct
A fast-growing health, education and innovation hub in Melbourne’s north-east.
Located in one of Melbourne’s fast-growing regions, the La Trobe Precinct brings together world-class health, education, research and advanced manufacturing capabilities at scale.
Anchored by La Trobe University’s ‘University City transformation’, the precinct enables investors to develop, test and commercialise products and services with a competitive edge — particularly across health and wellbeing, advanced manufacturing, agri-food and digital technologies.
For investors, the La Trobe Precinct offers a rare combination of deep institutional capability, a large and growing population catchment, strong industry collaboration and long-term growth potential.
We can help you identify the right location, partners and opportunities within the Latrobe Precinct.
At a glance
- A major employment and innovation hub
- Located 14km from Melbourne CBD
- Nearly 70,000 people currently work or study in the precinct
- Over 700,000 people expected to live within a 20-minute walkable catchment by 2041
- La Trobe University City is set to become a major innovation and residential precinct, contributing $3.5 billion in Gross Regional Product
- A centre for applied education, manufacturing, medical services
La Trobe Precinct
Why La Trobe Precinct?
World-class health, research, and innovation at scale
- Co-located universities, hospitals, research institutes and industry partners enable faster collaboration from research through to commercialisation.
- One of Victoria’s leading centres for health and medical research, supported by nationally and globally recognised institutions.
- Demonstrated ability to attract high-value investment in life sciences, advanced manufacturing and research-led industries.
Major anchors include:
- La Trobe University (Bundoora campus)
- Melbourne Polytechnic – Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence and Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Centre
- Austin, Mercy and Warringal Hospitals
- Rio Tinto
- BioNTec
An integrated health, research and skills talent pipeline
- Nearly 70,000 people work or study in the precinct, providing immediate access to a diverse skills base.
- La Trobe University contributes significantly to the talent pipeline with postgraduate researchers and highly skilled graduates aligned to industry needs.
- Direct collaboration between students, academics and businesses supports workforce development and talent retention.
- Applied research facilities, digital labs and innovation hubs allow companies to engage directly with emerging tech and ideas.
- Population growth within the surrounding catchment supports long-term workforce availability and business expansion.
Long-term growth supported by infrastructure and planning certainty
- La Trobe University City masterplan will create a thriving innovation and residential precinct – delivering thousands of new homes alongside cutting-edge research and education infrastructure.
- Major health, skills and research investments underway, reinforcing confidence in the precinct’s long-term trajectory.
- Inclusion in Stage 2 of the Suburban Rail Loop will significantly improve connectivity, integrating the La Trobe Precinct more closely with Melbourne’s innovation economy.
Key areas for consideration
La Trobe Innovation Precinct
A co-located research and industry environment enabling companies to collaborate with world-class researchers, access specialised infrastructure and accelerate commercialisation.
Heidelberg Health Precinct
The Heidelberg Health Precinct is Victoria’s second-largest medical precinct hosting:
- Austin Hospital
- Mercy Hospital for Women
- Warringal Private Hospital
- Heidelberg Repatriation hospital
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre
This concentration of clinical, specialist and research capability supports strong opportunities across health, life sciences and associated services.
Industrial precincts and employment centres
- Latrobe Precinct western edge - Long standing industrial and commercial hub – strong potential for residential and industrial expansion.
- Heidelberg West Business Park – home to more than 4,500 workers across sectors including construction, manufacturing and engineering.
Recent and ongoing investment
- BioNTech’s clinical-scale mRNA manufacturing facility and research hub at La Trobe University
- $180 million Warringal Private Hospital redevelopment
- $275 million expansion of Austin Hospital’s Emergency Department
- $50 million Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence at Melbourne Polytechnic
- $8 million La Trobe University Bio Innovation Hub
Talk to us about opportunities in the La Trobe Precinct.
Get tailored advice, introductions and support to help you establish or expand your investment in Melbourne’s north-east.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What makes La Trobe different from other innovation precincts?
La Trobe combines world-class health and research capability with a large and growing population catchment, offering both innovation depth and long-term workforce scale.
What types of investment opportunities exist in the precinct?
Opportunities span health and medical research, advanced manufacturing, education, agri-food, digital technologies and mixed-use development.
How can Invest Victoria help investors engage with the precinct?
Invest Victoria can help identify locations, connect with institutional partners and support collaboration across industry, research and government.
