Why Melbourne

Melbourne has arrived as a global business and investment centre. Located in the Asia Pacific time-zone, Melbourne is ideally placed between East and West. Australia is the first market to open each day, providing a time zone bridge linking the closing of the US and the opening of the European markets. With half of the world’s most expensive cities in Asia, Melbourne stands out as the location of choice within the region, offering the best array of services at the most competitive price. Melbourne’s lifestyle and business are complementary.

Melbourne has a thriving and sustainable economy that welcomes and supports many different industries.

With a globally connected infrastructure and shared time zone, it is an attractive location for business and investment of all sizes around the globe. This ‘Knowledge City’ provides international networks and connections and is home to research excellence and an advanced economy.

To view Melbourne's Central Business District, please visit the following: Melbourne Map [403kb]

Melbourne also offers a cost-competitive and politically stable environment.

The multilingual and multicultural environment with its open, tolerant and merit-based culture allows an outstanding quality of life for those who choose to live, work, study or visit here.

Located in the Asia Pacific time-zone, Melbourne offers economic stability, a rigorous intellectual property and taxation regulatory environment together with access to all levels of business support services. The City's advanced infrastructure including access to broadband, advanced telecommunications and competitive utility prices further add to Melbourne's status as a pre-emminent business centre in south-east Australia.

Melbourne’s modern landmark buildings offer a superior business environment, coupled with a strategic transport network which includes Australia’s only curfew-free 24 hour international airport, a major container port, access to Australia’s busiest rail network and a highly efficient system of roads, highways and freeways. Melbourne Airport recorded the fastest growth of international passenger movements of any airport in the country since 1998 and has been an important contributor to the state’s growth. The Port of Melbourne retains its ranking as the freight and logistics capital of the nation. Trade figures for 2001/02 indicate a record 11.3 million mass tonnes of overseas exports left Australia via Melbourne.

As part of its worldwide cost of living service, the Economist Intelligence Unit published a new survey in October 2002 assessing the level of hardship for expatriates. Melbourne and Vancouver emerged as the best cities in the world. The hardship rating assessed 130 cities by hardship rating by looking at 12 factors grouped by categories:

- health and safety
- culture and environment
- infrastructure and services

With half of the world's most expensive cities in Asia, Melbourne stands out as the location of choice within the region, offering the best array of services at the most competitive price.

For more information about the key industries in Melbourne, please click on the links on the left.

businessmelbourne.com.au