Melbourne is one of Australia’s fastest growing industrial construction markets, with demand for large scale warehouse and logistics facilities accelerating across the western and south eastern corridors. If you’re planning to build an industrial facility in Melbourne, whether that’s a 10,000 sqm distribution centre or a 40,000+ sqm logistics hub, this guide covers everything you need to know. We’ll walk through the types of facilities being built, how the construction process works, and what separates a reliable builder from the rest.
Corplex is a privately owned design and construct company with more than two decades of experience and a portfolio exceeding $1.14 billion in completed project value. We’ve delivered industrial, warehouse, commercial, and specialist facilities across Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, and we’re based right here in Port Melbourne.
What types of industrial and warehouse facilities are being built in Melbourne?
Melbourne’s industrial construction sector spans everything from standalone warehouses to complex multi use and business park precincts that combine logistics, office, and retail space under one development.
The most common project types include:
| Facility type | What it involves | Typical size range |
| Standard warehouses | High clearance storage and distribution with office mezzanine | 5,000–30,000 sqm |
| Logistics and distribution centres | Large scale facilities designed for high volume throughput, automated racking, and rapid dispatch | 15,000–70,000+ sqm |
| Manufacturing and production facilities | Purpose built for production lines, heavy machinery, ventilation, and compliance requirements | 5,000–20,000 sqm |
| Cold storage and temperature controlled warehouses | Specialist insulation, refrigeration, and food grade compliance | 5,000–15,000 sqm |
| Office warehouse combinations | Mixed use facilities with integrated corporate offices, showrooms, and warehouse space | 2,000–20,000 sqm |
| Industrial precincts and business parks | Multi unit developments with flexible tenancies for developers and investors | 10,000–100,000+ sqm site area |
To give you a sense of real scale: Corplex recently delivered the Bluestar Global Logistics facility in Somerton at 66,700 sqm, the Kororoit KH Project (a 96,400 sqm multi warehouse precinct), and the Missens Project in Cranbourne West at 24,800 sqm for Stockland. These aren’t hypothetical numbers. They’re completed, operational facilities you can visit.
For specialist builds like cold storage warehouse construction, additional compliance and engineering requirements apply. We cover those in a dedicated guide.
How does the industrial construction process work in Melbourne?
A typical industrial or warehouse build follows a structured process from site assessment through to handover. The specifics depend on whether you choose a design and construct (D&C) model or a traditional tendering approach.
Under D&C, which is Corplex’s core delivery method, the builder manages both the design and the construction under a single contract. That means one point of accountability, faster decisions, and fewer gaps between what’s designed and what actually gets built. You can read more about what design and construct means for your project.
The typical stages look like this:
- Initial consultation and site assessment, where we understand your operational needs, site constraints, planning overlays, and budget parameters.
- Concept design and feasibility, where the floor plan, structural approach, and services layout take shape. This is where you confirm the facility actually works for your business before committing to detailed design.
- Planning and approvals, including lodging the planning permit application with the relevant council, coordinating with building surveyors, and meeting National Construction Code (NCC 2025) requirements.
- Detailed design and documentation, producing construction drawings, engineering specifications, and the bill of quantities.
- Construction, covering site preparation, structural steel, concrete slabs, cladding, fit out, services, and commissioning.
- Practical completion and handover, including final inspections, defect rectification, and handing over a facility that’s ready to operate.
How long this takes depends on the size and complexity of the project. For a general guide, see typical warehouse construction timelines.
What does industrial construction cost in Melbourne?
This is the most common question, and the honest answer is that cost varies significantly depending on your facility’s size, complexity, site conditions, and specification level.
As a general guide, industrial warehouse construction in Melbourne typically ranges from [VERIFY: 800–1,800 per sqm. Source from Rawlinsons Australian Construction Handbook 2026, Rider Levett Bucknall Oceania Construction Cost Report, or Turner & Townsend International Construction Market Survey. Use the Melbourne specific figure if available. Cite the source name and edition year in the published text.] That range reflects the difference between a basic clear span warehouse and a fully fitted out facility with office space, temperature control, and specialist services.
The factors that move the needle most are site conditions (rock, contamination, fill requirements), building height and span, services and fit out complexity, the ratio of office to warehouse space, and compliance requirements like fire engineering or food safety standards.
We’ve written a detailed breakdown in our guide to warehouse construction costs in Melbourne.
The more important point: cost certainty matters more than cost alone. In an industry where budget blowouts are common, choosing a builder with a track record of delivering to budget, and a delivery model that reduces cost risk, is where the real commercial value sits.
What should you look for in an industrial builder in Melbourne?
The right builder protects your investment, your timeline, and your sanity. The wrong one creates months of stress, unexpected costs, and a facility that doesn’t quite work for your operations.
Here’s what actually matters.
A verifiable track record at the scale you’re building. Ask for completed projects of similar size and complexity. Not renders and proposals, but finished, occupied buildings. Corplex’s portfolio includes facilities from 2,000 sqm to 96,400 sqm across industrial, logistics, manufacturing, food grade, and commercial sectors. You can browse Corplex’s project portfolio to see the range.
Repeat clients. This is the single strongest trust signal in commercial construction. If clients come back for a second, third, or fourth project, it tells you more than any brochure. At Corplex, repeat clients include Stone Ambassador (3 projects), Metroll (3 facilities across Victoria and South Australia), Pinnacle Hardware (2 facilities in Victoria and Western Australia), BoardPro (2 facilities), Stockland (2 facilities), Vawdrey (multiple facilities) and many more. In an industry where disputes are common, that rate of return business is hard to find.
Quality and safety certifications. ISO triple certification covers Quality Management (ISO 9001), Occupational Health and Safety (ISO 45001), and Environmental Management (ISO 14001). It demonstrates that a builder operates to internationally recognised standards. Corplex holds all three. See our accreditations.
Director level access. With publicly listed builders, you’re often a number in a pipeline. With a privately owned, founder led company, you deal directly with the people who built the business and stake their reputation on every project. Corplex was founded in 2004 by Dominic Cullia and Stephen Camerlengo, who are both still actively involved alongside senior leaders Carlo Borzillo and Paul Sortino.
Design and construct capability. A builder who manages both design and construction under one contract gives you one point of accountability, faster delivery, and far fewer finger pointing scenarios when issues arise. It’s the delivery model that gives you the most cost certainty, and it’s what Corplex specialises in.
For a deeper look, read our guide on choosing the right industrial builder.
Why does Melbourne’s industrial market keep growing?
Melbourne’s industrial and logistics sector has been one of the strongest performing property segments in Australia over recent years. The growth has been driven by e-commerce expansion, supply chain reshoring, and infrastructure investment across the western and south eastern corridors.
Key demand drivers include:
– E-commerce fulfillment, as the shift to online retail continues to drive demand for large format distribution centres close to urban populations.
– Supply chain resilience, with Australian businesses increasingly building local warehousing capacity rather than relying solely on overseas supply chains.
– Infrastructure investment, with the West Gate Tunnel, which opened in December 2025, improving freight access to the Port of Melbourne.
– Population growth, which continues to support demand for consumer goods logistics and last mile distribution.
If you’re planning an industrial build in Melbourne, the window to secure a good site and a reliable builder is competitive. Starting the conversation early, even at the “we’re thinking about it” stage, gives you more options on both fronts.
How is Corplex different from other industrial builders in Melbourne?
Every builder says they deliver quality and care about clients. Here’s what’s actually different about Corplex, with the evidence to back it up.
We’ve completed more than $1.14 billion in project value over more than two decades. That portfolio includes everything from 2,000 sqm owner occupier facilities to 96,400 sqm multi warehouse precincts. The range of experience means there’s almost no industrial project type we haven’t built before.
More importantly, our clients come back. We mentioned repeat business above because it matters that much. Hotel Agencies, Metroll, Pinnacle Hardware, BoardPro, Stone Ambassador, and Vawdrey have all returned for multiple projects. Michael Bacash, Director of Hotel Agencies, put it plainly after his fourth project: the level of satisfaction exceeded his expectations every time. You can’t manufacture that kind of testimonial.
We also build for the same client across multiple states. Metroll (Pakenham, Ballarat, Edinburgh SA) and Pinnacle Hardware (Cranbourne West VIC, Henderson WA) both chose to work with Corplex interstate rather than find a new builder in each state. If your business operates across Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, you get one builder who already knows your standards, your people, and your expectations.
Corplex is privately owned and founder-led. Dominic Cullia and Stephen Camerlengo started the business in 2004 and are still hands-on. You deal with decision makers, not layers of middle management. That means faster responses, more flexibility, and people who genuinely care about the outcome because their name is on the door. Learn more about our story.
We hold ISO triple certification: Quality (ISO 9001), Safety (ISO 45001), and Environmental (ISO 14001). These systems are independently audited and maintained. It’s not a badge for the wall. It’s the system that keeps Corplex delivering consistent results on every project.
Ready to talk about your industrial or warehouse project?
Whether you’re a developer planning a logistics precinct, a business owner who needs a purpose built facility, or an operator expanding interstate, the best time to start the conversation is before you’ve locked in a site.
Corplex provides obligation free initial consultations to help you understand your options, your likely costs, and the best delivery approach for your project.
Get in touch with the Corplex team. Call us on 1300 32 32 00, email enquiry@corplex.com.au, or fill in the contact form to start the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is design and construct in industrial construction?
Design and construct (D&C) is a delivery model where one company manages both the design and building phases under a single contract. For industrial and warehouse projects, this means faster timelines, clearer cost certainty, and one point of accountability from concept through to handover.
How much does it cost to build a warehouse in Melbourne?
Warehouse construction costs in Melbourne typically range from [VERIFY: 800–1,800 per sqm] depending on size, height, services, fit out level, and site conditions. A basic clear span warehouse sits at the lower end. A fully fitted out facility with offices and specialist services sits at the higher end.
How long does it take to build an industrial warehouse in Melbourne?
Timelines vary with project scale and complexity. A straightforward 5,000 sqm warehouse might take 6 to 9 months from design to handover, while a large logistics facility of 20,000+ sqm could take 12 to 18 months including planning approvals. [VERIFY: confirm typical timeline ranges against current project data] Design and construct delivery generally reduces the overall timeline by overlapping design and construction phases.
What size warehouses does Corplex build?
Corplex delivers industrial and warehouse projects ranging from approximately 2,000 sqm up to 96,400 sqm. Our core focus is facilities in the 10,000 to 40,000 sqm range, though our portfolio includes projects well above and below that. Recent examples include the Bluestar Somerton logistics hub (66,700 sqm) and the Kororoit KH Project (96,400 sqm site).
Does Corplex build warehouses outside Melbourne?
Yes. While Melbourne is our home base, we’ve delivered industrial projects in South Australia (Metroll Edinburgh, Beverley Brick Co.) and Western Australia (Pinnacle Hardware Henderson). We’re especially experienced at building for the same client across multiple states, which means consistent quality and no ramp up time.
What certifications should an industrial builder hold?
Look for ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 45001 (Safety), and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) as a minimum standard for a professional industrial builder. Corplex holds all three, plus memberships with Master Builders Australia, the Green Building Council, Engineers Australia, and the Property Council.