Melbourne

Melbourne is one of the largest metropolitan areas in Australia and is a popular spot for office space, with a very competitive market. 

Top priorities for businesses looking to move into Melbourne include the right type of space, a CBD presence, and international transport links.

Betty Chen, Instant Offices’ specialist local consultant for the region recommends the Financial or Law district in the CBD for their central position, good transport network and notable location.

Costs

The prices in Melbourne vary a lot depending on location; the CBD is the most expensive area to rent, and office space is usually priced per room rather than per workstation.

Office sizes

We mainly offer business owners private suites in the city, but also supply a great variety of office sizes, with a choice of providers to cater for all requirements.

Why choose Melbourne?

Melbourne is an internationally recognised city, the leading financial sector for the Australia and Asia-Pacific region. 

With diverse financial and industrial areas and well connected transport links, Melbourne is the largest business, as well as residential area, in the municipality. 

The city was also recently named one of the most liveable cities in the world, making it an ideal area for businesses looking to set up in Australia.

• World-famous “Aussie” beer Fosters was first brewed in Melbourne in 1888 – by brothers from the USA, William and Ralph Foster
• The tramway system in Melbourne is the largest outside of Europe
• Before changing to its current name the city was called Batmania, after colonist farmer John Batman who landed in Port Philip Bay in May 1835
• Australian Rules Football was invented in Melbourne in 1858 by Tom Wills and friends as a way to keep cricketers fit during the off-season
• In 1956 Melbourne became the first host of the Olympic Games outside of Europe and North America

These are the most popular areas in which to rent office space:

Central City

• Melbourne’s Central City is the hub for a host of industries including the retail, finance, legal and administrative sectors
• The most prominent areas in the CBD are the financial and law districts, housing firms such as Dribbin and Brown
• The financial district is seen as a major economic centre for Australia and is home to the corporate headquarters of the world's two largest mining companies: BHP Billiton, and Rio Tinto Group; as well as two of Australia's ‘big four’ banks ANZ and NAB
• A massive amount of available office space in the past has encouraged a rise in inner-city living in Melbourne, with the Central City’s population more than doubling in the past 15 years; it's now responsible for over half of Melbourne’s office space and employment

North Precincts: North and West Melbourne & Kensington

• North Melbourne is a diverse area with housing and commercial, industrial and retail facilities throughout
• It sits close to the city centre and has become increasingly gentrified over the years
• The area features a mix of industry and commerce, including automotive, rail yards, and electricity facilities
• Prominent consumer centres in Errol Street, Victoria Street and Queensberry Street in North Melbourne, as well as Macaulay Road and Bellair Street in Kensington, offer a mix of dining, retail and professional services
• West Melbourne is an industrialised section of the city, largely devoted to warehouse and wholesale activities
• The area has excellent access to the airport, the wider metropolitan region, the Victorian road network and the Port of Melbourne and so is an important resource for Melbourne
• Popular choice for businesses looking to set up in manufacturing industries

Docklands

• The Docklands officially became part of the City of Melbourne in 2007 and its inclusion doubled the size of the city’s central area
• Docklands is close to Melbourne’s main transport networks, including Southern Cross Station
• It offers a range of new developments featuring a mix of business, parks, shopping, entertainment, and residential addresses in the thriving waterfront suburb
• This mix of amenities has made Docklands a highly sought-after area in recent years
• It has already become the national headquarters for a number of major corporations, including AXA Asia Pacific, Bendigo Bank, Medibank Private, Myer, The Age, and the Bureau of Meteorology
• Continued developments in the area expect to create a waterfront location servicing workplaces for 40,000 people daily by 2020

South Precincts: Yarra River, Southbank, South Wharf, Northbank and St Kilda Road

• St Kilda Road is one of Melbourne’s most famous and prestigious corporate addresses and features a combination of office, residential and mixed use towers
• Southbank’s most prominent landmark is the busy Southbank Promenade
• The promenade stretches along the south side of the Yarra River and features a host of retailers, major offices, and new apartments, as well as the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre 
• It's a popular area for tourists and locals to work and relax
• The South Wharf development sits on the waterfront and has created a lively precinct for residents and international visitors, featuring a massive five star office tower as well as cafés and shops, so it's attracted a number of retail-related businesses into the area

Fishermans Bend

• Close to the city centre, Fishermans Bend in Port Melbourne is a well-situated business location near the Yarra River, at the south-western edge of the Central City
• The district is largely used for industrial purposes and is ideal for manufacturing, research and development, as well companies from the service sector
• It's home to some large manufacturing businesses such as Holden, and Boeing, as well as the location for a number of leading biotechnology research institutions
• Fishermans Bend has a well-established infrastructure and is easily accessible from major roads from the north and west
• The area also has great international transport connections, including the Port of Melbourne, and Australia’s major 24-hour airport, Melbourne Airport, making it the ideal location for multinational corporations

*Last updated on 1 June 2015