NEXTDC M3 Melbourne: 150MW AI-Ready Hyperscale Campus
Status: Operational / Accelerated Expansion (April 2026) | Location: 25 Indwe Street, West Footscray VIC 3012, australia
Project Overview
As of April 2026, M3 Melbourne is scaling rapidly to meet what operators describe as a clear step-change in AI-driven demand, driven largely by hyperscale and high-performance computing requirements. Technically, the 150MW campus stands as Melbourne’s premier Tier IV fault-tolerant facility, designed for maximum uptime and resilience. Strategically positioned just 10km from the CBD and adjacent to major electricity substations, it benefits from both proximity to enterprise demand and robust, scalable power access. The site incorporates a modular, data-driven design by HDR, enabling accelerated deployment of data halls and flexible capacity expansion aligned with customer requirements. Following the April 20, 2026 announcement of a record 250MW increase in portfolio-wide contracted utilization, the pace of development at M3 has intensified, with fit-out schedules being pulled forward to capture near-term demand. The facility is purpose-built for high-density GPU workloads, integrating advanced and adaptable cooling solutions capable of supporting next-generation AI infrastructure. In addition, its direct interconnection with the M1 and M2 facilities along the Tullamarine corridor creates a highly integrated, metro-wide digital fabric, strengthening network performance, redundancy, and scalability across the broader Victorian market.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | NEXTDC M3 Melbourne: 150MW AI-Ready Hyperscale Campus |
| Location | 25 Indwe Street, West Footscray VIC 3012, australia |
| Status | Operational / Accelerated Expansion (April 2026) |
| Commissioning | Stage 1 (Initial Halls) Go-Live: 2022; Phased Fit-out: 2024–2026 |
| Total IT Load | 150.0 MW (Masterplan Capacity) |
| Total Capacity | 100,000 $m^2$ Site; 20,000 $m^2$ Technical Space |
| Tier Level | Uptime Institute Tier IV (Design & Construct) |
| Project Type | Hyperscale, Enterprise & AI-Inference Campus |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | melbourne |
| Population | City Proper (Estimated 2026): ~5.2–5.3 million |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~5.3+ million (Greater Melbourne region) |
| City GDP | ~USD 320–380 billion |
| Per Capita Income | Approx.: USD 65,000–75,000 |
| City Tier | Global Alpha City (Beta+ to Alpha tier depending on index) |
| Key Strengths | Strong finance, banking, and professional services sector |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | NEXTDC |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Uptime Institute Tier IV / NVIDIA DGX-Ready. |
| Construction Contractor | Kapitol Group / Multiplex. |
| MEP Engineering | $N+1$ and $2N$ Redundancy; Fault-Tolerant Iso-Parallel Bus. |
| Network Connectivity | Diverse fiber to Melbourne CBD; Campus mesh to M1 and M2. |
| Power Infrastructure | 150 MW; Direct high-voltage substation proximity. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
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| Power Capacity | 150.0 MW |
| UPS Redundancy | Tier IV Fault-Tolerant (Rotary UPS + Diesel Backup). |
| Cooling System | Advanced Water-Cooled / Air-Hybrid (AI Optimized). |
| Connectivity | Major strategic node for the Victorian AI & Cloud ecosystem. |
| PUE Target | < 1.15 (Design Target) |
| Energy Mix | 100% Carbon Neutral (Climate Active Certified). |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | April 20, 2026 (Record Growth & Funding Update) |
| Construction Start | 2020 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | 2022 |
| Full Buildout | 2027 (Accelerated from 2029) |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | A$1 Billion+ (Projected Full Build) |
| Funding | A$1.5bn Entitlement Offer / A$1.7bn Hybrid Securities (April 2026). |