Why choose to invest in Merri-bek?

Merri-bek is a strategic location

Located in Melbourne’s inner north, the City of Merri-bek covers 50.9 square kilometres.  It lies between 4 and 14 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD.  It is bordered by the Moonee Ponds Creek to the west, Merri Creek to the east, Park Street to the south and the Western Ring Road to the north.  It’s only a short drive to Melbourne Airport.

The City of Merri-bek is vibrant and known for its shopping precincts (Lygon Street, Sydney Road and Barkly Square), cafés and restaurants, live music venues, festivals and events, and a community of artists and creative industries.

It is home to two major hospitals

  • John Fawkner Private Hospital
  • Brunswick Private Hospital

It has excellent public transport and cycling links with good connectivity to major arterial roads and freeways

  • City Link
  • Calder Freeway
  • Metropolitan Ring Road/Western Ring Road
  • Eastern Freeway
  • Sydney Road/Hume Highway
  • Brunswick Road
  • Bell Street
  • St Georges Road

It has good accessibility to major arterial roads and freeways

  • City Link
  • Calder Freeway
  • Metropolitan Ring Road/Western Ring Road
  • Eastern Freeway
  • Sydney Road/Hume Highway
  • Brunswick Road
  • Bell Street
  • St Georges Road

Merri-bek has a strong and growing economy

With approximately 192,000 residents, Merri-bek is one of Melbourne’s most populated municipalities. Its population is expected to grow to 223,000 by 2036.  The highest population growth is expected in Brunswick and Brunswick East.

The City is culturally and linguistically diverse, with residents speaking more than 97 different languages at home.

Merri-bek is connected to talent and innovation

Merri-bek has a young, talented and diverse workforce

  •   115,315 employed residents
  •   16,791 local businesses
  • highly skilled resident base with over half of its employed residents having a bachelor degree or higher
  • 31% of residents aged 25-39 (22% Victoria wide)
  • an emerging bio and medical technologies hub

Merri-bek provides easy access to major research, education and training institutions

Including:

  • University of Melbourne, Parkville
  • RMIT, City and Brunswick
  • LaTrobe University, Bundoora
  • Melbourne Polytechnic, Preston
  • Kangan Institute, Broadmeadows, Essendon, Moonee Ponds
  • Parkville’s National Employment and Innovation Cluster

It has a creative and exciting culture that is attracting young professionals:

  • festivals and events like the Brunswick Music Festival and Sydney Road Street Party
  • eclectic shopping
  • vibrant café and restaurant strips
  • live music venues

Brunswick Design District (BDD) - The heart of Melbourne’s creative inner north

In 2018, the State Government identified the area within Brunswick around the Sydney Road and Dawson Street intersection, and RMIT’s Brunswick Design Campus, including Brunswick’s industrial land zones and civic and cultural precincts, as the Brunswick Design District (BDD).

This announcement placed Brunswick as a precinct with the potential to become a state and national leader in fashion, art, creativity, and a place where design enterprises would set up and thrive.

Learn more about the Brunswick Design District.

Key enterprise and community sites within the district include:

  • Brudi at 420 Victoria St Brunswick
  • Balam Balam Place (formerly known as 33 Saxon Street, Brunswick)

The BDD is a collaboration between RMIT University, Merri-bek City Council and the State Government's Creative Victoria to create opportunities and activity that support the development of the precinct. The aims of the BDD are to:

  • grow local jobs and opportunities for design-related businesses
  • attract high-potential start-ups and design entrepreneurs
  • develop educational programs and pathways to employment
  • encourage industry partnerships and collaborations
  • develop support programs that explore and connect with local and export markets to accelerate commercialisation; and
  • develop accessible and affordable community infrastructure

Learn more on the Brunswick Design District website.

Read the BDD Memorandum of Understanding (PDF 159Kb).

Major building and development projects

Major public and private development projects are transforming Merri-bek, creating new opportunities for business investment, employment and economic growth.

Industry Strengths in Merri-bek

Merri-bek is home to a diverse economy with several industry sectors identified as having strong potential for business investment, innovation and employment growth, including: