Industrial property powerhouse Logos is developing a new warehouse for Amazon—and it will be a record-breaker.
The fulfilment centre in northern Melbourne will span 209,000sq m across four levels at the Australian Super-owned Craigieburn Logistics Estate to become the largest in Australia.
The industrial asset will take the title from Amazon’s Western Sydney robotics site by 9000 square metres. The NSW facility was launched in 2022 and doubled the company’s operational footprint in Australia.
The new centre is expected to take two years to build and will be equipped with robotics technology to house up to 25 million smaller items.
The latest project is a continuation of Logos and Australian Super’s partnerships which included a major industrial acquisition in 2021.
The companies led a consortium to buy $2.47-billion worth of land around Sydney including 13.8ha in Mascot from Qantas and Qube’s 243ha Moorebank Logistics Park.
Plans for the $164-million warehousing and distribution facility on the doorstep of Sydney Airport were revealed last week.
Logos head of Australia and New Zealand Darren Searle said Amazon’s new fulfilment centre would anchor the 90ha Craigieburn Logistics Estate, 23km north of Melbourne’s CBD within a state significant industrial precinct.
Australian Super head of mid-risk portfolios Jason Peasley said they were building for the future uses of real estate and critical logistics infrastructure.
“This is an exciting development that will boost Australia’s logistics infrastructure and play a key role in opening up economic opportunities in this fast-growing area of Melbourne,” Peasley said.
Amazon Australia country manager Janet Menzies said the site would also help connect Victorian customers to local small and medium-sized businesses, enhancing delivery outcomes and selection for customers in the state.
“We chose Melbourne as the home of our first fulfilment centre when we launched in Australia in 2017, and the introduction of this state-of-the-art robotics fulfilment centre in the city’s north continues our commitment here,” Menzies said.
Excavation work has begun on the warehouse, which is being purpose-built to meet Amazon’s requirements.
CBRE’s Industrial and Logistics Occupier Services business will facilitate the lease of the centre.
Invest Victoria chief executive officer Danni Jarrett said it would bring new jobs to Melbourne’s booming north, as well as innovative technology to boost skills and capabilities.
The Melbourne Robotics fulfilment centre will be Amazon’s sixth operational site in Melbourne and will be a part of the company’s fulfilment and logistics network in Victoria.
This included fulfilment centres at Dandenong South and Ravenhall, Amazon’s first Australian standalone sort centre; and two Amazon Logistics sites.
