The Melbourne’s North Investment Showcase held on Wednesday, 25 June 2025 at Melbourne Polytechnic’s Conference Centre in Preston was a dynamic and high-impact event. With over 150 attendees and 20 exhibitors, the day brought together investors, developers, business leaders, educators, and government to explore future-shaping opportunities in Melbourne’s north.

Exhibitor Gallery

Session Highlights: A Deep Dive into Regional Growth and Innovation

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the speakers who generously shared their time, expertise, and perspectives at the Melbourne’s North Investment Showcase. Their thoughtful contributions brought depth and clarity to the key themes shaping the future of our region, ranging from infrastructure and planning to innovation, sustainability, health precincts, logistics, and urban regeneration. Each presentation provided valuable insights into both current opportunities and long-term strategies, helping our audience better understand the critical drivers of growth in Melbourne’s north. Their commitment to fostering collaboration between government, industry, education and community was evident and deeply appreciated. Thank you for playing such an integral role in making the event both informative and inspiring.

Panel 1: Current Planning Environment

Emily Mottram (Executive Director, Activity Centres at the Department of Transport and Planning) kicked off the day with a comprehensive overview of Melbourne’s housing and employment land priorities. She outlined the state’s spatial planning strategy, which includes:

· Unlocking 180,000 new homes over the next decade through greenfield development.

· Enabling 300,000 new homes in activity centres by 2051 via the Activity Centres Program.

· Supporting precinct planning and improving infrastructure coordination to match future housing and jobs growth in Melbourne’s north.

Donna Findlay (Victorian Investment Coordinator-General at the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions) detailed the Economic Growth Statement, highlighting Victoria’s strong investment climate. Her presentation focused on:

· The newly introduced Investment Front Door and priority sector teams to reduce red tape and fast-track major projects.

· Key support tools like the $150M Victorian Investment Fund and regulatory reform, including halving the number of business regulators by 2030.

Michael Edmonds (Regional Director – North, West and Inner Melbourne at the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions) emphasised the role of Victoria’s global investment network and regional facilitation teams. His team works across 23 international cities and engages with 600 companies annually in the north-west metro region, focusing on five priority sectors: advanced manufacturing, health, digital, circular economy, and agribusiness.

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Panel 2: Northern Innovation and Sustainability Precinct (NISP)

The Hon. John Brumby AO (Chancellor at La Trobe University) presented a bold vision for the La Trobe University City project, describing:

· A $5 billion transformation with 8,000 new homes, 30,000+ jobs, and 200,000 sqm of commercial and retail space.

· Key anchor projects such as the BioNTech mRNA facility, Sports Park Stage 3, AI supercomputing hub, and Victoria’s largest urban solar farm.

· La Trobe’s leadership in health education, including the largest interdisciplinary university clinic in Victoria to train 400 new health professionals annually.

Natasha Swan (Director, City Development at Banyule City Council) discussed the shared commitment between Banyule and Darebin councils in progressing the NISP through:

· A $2 million Urban Precincts & Partnerships Program grant application.

· Plans to deliver diverse housing, net-zero feasibility studies, and economic frameworks aligned with the State’s Plan for Victoria.

Trent McCarthy (Director Clean Economy, Engagement and Experience at Melbourne Polytechnic) showcased the role of TAFE-led innovation, highlighting:

· The Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence and the new Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence at Heidelberg.

· These initiatives aim to tackle workforce gaps, drive sustainability in construction, and lead national transformation in clean economy skills.

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Panel 3: The Possibilities in Melbourne’s Outer North

This session focused on the significant development and investment potential across Melbourne’s outer north, particularly in industrial land, freight infrastructure, and regional growth corridors. The session highlighted how the area is fast becoming a critical logistics and employment hub for Victoria. Speakers shared strategic plans for unlocking land supply, supporting transport connectivity, and attracting high-impact industrial developments. With strong collaboration between local councils, state government, and private sector partners, the outer north presents a unique opportunity to meet the increasing demand for industrial space, support job creation, and drive long-term economic productivity across the region.

Liam Wilkinson (Manager – Strategic Futures at City of Whittlesea) provided planning context for Epping as a Metropolitan Activity Centre, revealing:

· An ambitious vision for 9,800 new homes and robust planning controls enabling up to 12 storeys in the town centre.

· Infrastructure investments in open space and transport to support the population and business growth.

Ben Rowe (Project Director at New Epping) introduced New Epping, a visionary $2 billion mixed-use precinct on 51 hectares. Key highlights included:

· A health and innovation precinct co-locating public and private hospitals, medical research, and allied health services.

· Over 110,000 sqm of commercial space, 2,000 homes, and a civic heart with retail and dining.

· Sustainability goals targeting net-zero operations, extensive green space regeneration, and high-quality office offerings at 28 and 38 Greengate.

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Panel 5: Epping – The Opportunities

Brendan Pihan (CEO at Essendon Fields) showcased one of Melbourne’s most successful mixed-use aviation and commercial precincts, detailing:

· A master-planned business environment home to 330 businesses and 6,000 daily workers.

· Ambitions to grow to 20,000 jobs supported by continued investment in logistics, DFO retail, and commercial services.

Pene Winslade (Director of Place & Environment Merri-bek City Council) gave a vibrant tour of Coburg’s revitalisation, emphasising:

· Transformation of Pentridge into a $1 billion cultural and hospitality hub.

· Strong residential and industrial pipeline, and the delivery of major civic projects like the $60M library and piazza and Coburg Health Precinct.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. We extend our deepest thanks to:

· The Fair Co.

· Melbourne Polytechnic

· City of Whittlesea

· La Trobe University

· Essendon Fields

· National Intermodal

· New Epping

Special Thanks

We extend our heartfelt thanks to:

Jude Munro AO for flawlessly MCing the event with professionalism, energy and warmth, guiding the day’s program with clarity and ensuring each session flowed seamlessly.

Frances Coppolillo for her warm and insightful welcome that opened the Showcase and set the tone for a day of meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

Tayla Gray from J. T. Production Management for her seamless coordination and on-the-ground support throughout the day.

Nicole Lempriere, and the team at Melbourne Polytechnic Conference Centre for their invaluable assistance in managing the venue and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Event Photos