Explore regions of Victoria
Regional Victoria offers a dynamic and cost-competitive environment to grow and diversify your operations. Access high-quality industrial land, a skilled workforce, and well-connected transport infrastructure linking your business to national and global markets.
Whether your focus is advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, clean energy, or mining, regional Victoria provides opportunities to access resources, scale operations, increase productivity and connect with global supply chains.
Your investment will be supported by thriving industries innovation driven talent, and targeted government programs.
Key facts about Regional Victoria
- Contributes over $118 billion to Victoria’s economy annually.
- Home to 25% of Victoria’s population, including more than 859,000 workers.
- Generates over 25% of Australia’s global food and fibre exports.
- Backed by more than $47 billion in government investment over the past decade.
- Offers high-quality industrial land with extensive road, rail and air freight connections.
- Offers efficient access to international markets through deepwater and bulk goods seaports, regional airports, and direct links to Australia’s largest container port in Melbourne.
- Strong government programs make it easier to establish, grow, and diversify your operations.
Industry opportunities across the regions
Barwon South-West region
Major towns and cities: Geelong, Warrnambool, Portland
- Advanced manufacturing & defence
- Clean energy – including hydrogen and renewable energy technologies
- Health innovation
- Visitor economy.
Grampians region
Major towns and cities: Ballarat, Horsham & Bacchus Marsh
- Digital technology
- Agribusiness
- Renewable energy
- Visitor economy
Loddon Mallee region
Major towns and cities: Bendigo, Mildura
- Agribusiness
- Critical minerals (globally significant quantities of titanium, zirconium, and associated rare-earth elements in mineral sand deposits)
- Renewable energy
- Mining technology – join the likes of Victoria’s largest gold mine at Fosterville and Australia’s only operational antimony mine at Costerfield
Gippsland region
Major towns and cities: City of Latrobe, Morwell, Traralgon, Sale
- Agribusiness, including dairy farming and food manufacturing
- Energy generation, including offshore wind (Gippsland is Australia’s largest declared offshore wind zone), hydrogen
- Mining and critical minerals
- Visitor economy
Hume region
Major towns and cities: Shepparton, Wangaratta, Wodonga
- Agribusiness
- Logistics
- Defence supply
- Visitor economy
Why invest in regional Victoria?
Access cost-competitive industrial and commercial land
- Strategically located, ready-to-develop sites at competitive prices.
- We offer affordable, industrial land in well-serviced precincts, making it easier for businesses to establish and scale with confidence.
- Our site selection team can help identify and secure the right industrial land for your business.
Efficient transport links and digital and energy infrastructure
- Seamless access to Melbourne, national logistics hubs and export routes.
- Direct access to the Hume, Calder, and Princes Highways, plus regional rail links.
- Key regional seaports including Geelong, Portland, and Hastings, as well as Avalon airport.
- Energy and digital infrastructure including high-speed broadband and emerging renewable energy projects support business operations and innovation.
Talent and innovation
- Strong capabilities and mature supply chains in food production, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, and high-value mineral resources.
- Skilled workforce developed through 5 regional universities, 7 TAFEs and innovation precincts.
- Regional innovation hubs connect education, research and industry for growth, such as the Morwell Innovation Precinct and Wodonga’s Logic Industrial Precinct.
- Local campuses produce talent across a range of industries, including advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, clean energy, and health.
- Innovation precincts and training programs accelerate technology adoption and regional supply chain development.
Attractive lifestyle and environment
- Benefit from a lifestyle and regional environment that attracts and retains top talent.
Government investment and support
- More than $47 billion invested by the Victorian Government in regional Victoria in just over the past decade.
- Invest Victoria in collaboration with Regional Development Victoria, offers on-the-ground expertise, connections and guidance.
- Targeted regional development programs support investors at every stage of establishing and growing operations.
Major regional investment projects
Recent examples of significant investment by the Victorian Government and private investors, include:
- Delivery of the SEC Horsham Renewable Energy Park - a 100% publicly owned utility-scale renewable energy project in Victoria’s west, near Horsham. Construction has begun on the 119-megawatt solar farm and 100-megawatt two-hour battery storage system, with operations anticipated to commence in 2027.
- Support for major international food manufacturer, Farm Frites, to establish its first Australian production facility, a new $300 million manufacturing facility in Dooen, Victoria (near Horsham, western Victoria) that will create about 250 new jobs.
- Investment in the Ballarat West Employment Zone - covering more than 400 hectares, offers prime industrial land for businesses and is creating a hub for jobs and industries that will continue to drive economic growth across Ballarat and the Central Highlands region.
- Ongoing delivery of the Geelong City Deal, which is focused on improving investment and coordination across 3 levels of government to support a prosperous and liveable future for Geelong and the Great Ocean Road region. The Australian and Victorian governments, the City of Greater Geelong and our delivery partners are investing more than $676 million to deliver the commitments under the 10-year Geelong City Deal.
Ready to explore more?
Our team can help you explore locations, identify industry partners and connect with local networks to get your investment underway.
