Woods Road datacenter project overview

Microsoft began construction for the Woods Road datacenter in December 2022. The datacenter construction site is located on Woods Road in Truganina, near Melbourne in the state of Victoria.

Why datacenters are needed

Datacenters provide the physical infrastructure for the technology we depend on at work and in our personal lives. Whenever you open an app on your phone, join a virtual classroom or meeting, snap and save photos, or play a game with your friends online, you are using a datacenter. Local businesses, government, hospitals, and schools rely on datacenters every day to deliver goods and services to you.

April, 2024

Earthworks Completed at Microsoft’s Datacenter Site. 

The completion of earthworks at Microsoft’s Datacenter site in April 2024 marks a significant milestone. Earthworks involve preparing and reshaping the ground through excavation, soil removal, grading, and compaction to create a stable base for construction. Earthworks are critical for ensuring a strong foundation, effective drainage, site accessibility, and long-term durability of large-scale facilities like Datacenters. This process helps prevent structural issues, flooding, and costly maintenance in the future.

June, 2023

Learn about the Woods Road public art project

We are partnering with Indigital and the Bunurong Community to design a culturally meaningful artwork for our Woods Road site.

The public-facing artwork will be an important feature for our community living and working nearby, and for motorists travelling on Woods Road.

The design team will hold an online session to showcase the design on Wednesday 12 July, 6:00-7:00 PM. Neighbours and members of the broader community are invited to attend, learn about the stories behind the artwork, and ask questions.

Please register to attend the online session by Wednesday 5 July.

A meeting link will be distributed to registered members ahead of the session. You can attend using any digital device, including mobile phone, tablet, or computer.

May, 2023

Our construction partners, Kapitol Group have made substantial progress through the first quarter of 2023.

As works progress, the local community may experience an increase in construction traffic and equipment deliveries. Traffic management will be implemented to support the flow of traffic when required. Staff parking is also supplied on site to reduce traffic impacts.

From late June some work activities may be occurring outside of standard working hours. Standard working hours are Monday-Friday 7am-6pm, and Saturday 7am-1pm; out of hours works may take place on Monday-Friday 6pm-11pm. Some additional lighting will be required on site for crew to operate safely.

The Community Engagement team will liaise with our neighbours to provide early notice of disruptive works.

We thank the community for their patience and understanding as we complete these works.

December, 2022

Breaking ground with community leaders at Melbourne datacenter sites

On December 5, 2022, Microsoft and our construction partners welcomed local community leaders to groundbreaking ceremonies at three of our Melbourne datacenter locations: Garden Drive, Cawley Road, and Woods Road. Together with our general contractors, Kapitol Group and BESIX Watpac, and our partners, AusNet Services, Aurecon, ERM, and Turner & Townsend, we honored members of the Hume Council, Maribyrnong Council, Wyndham Council, and Invest Victoria to these three sites to mark the commencement of construction.

Wurundjeri Traditional Owners opened the groundbreaking events with Welcome to Country (Tanderrum) and Smoking Ceremonies.

The Melbourne datacenters will help provide the physical infrastructure for the technology we depend on at work and in our personal lives. Cloud services play an increasingly significant role in our lives – enabling remote work and learning, global collaboration, and business continuity; supporting discovery and innovation; and importantly, powering critical life and safety services. Microsoft datacenters support a wide spectrum of crucial services in Australia, from the lifesaving work of doctors and first responders to essential services like groceries and online banking.

Microsoft has operated in Australia for 39 years, and we continue to invest in the region and the ecosystem of partners and technology providers we rely on to meet the demand of delivering fast, reliable, and sustainable cloud services.

Microsoft is committed to the long-term health of the communities in which we operate and where our employees live and work.

Construction Timeline

Datacenter construction will begin December 2022.

The general contractor, Kapitol Group, and AusNet will prepare the site and construct the facilities at the Woods Road site, with an estimated completion date of mid-2025.

Together with our general contractor Kapitol Group and our energy provider AusNet Services, we will keep neighbors informed in advance of construction work, including traffic mitigation plans, and will comply with the working hours stipulated in our planning permit.

Also, we will follow best practices in construction and verify that our contractors’ Construction Environmental Management Plans capture the appropriate cleanup and reinstatement expectations.

Staying connected

We will keep the community up to date via our Australia page in our Microsoft in Your Community blog.

For construction related questions or concerns, please contact Hayley Todd from Kapitol Group via email at Hayley.todd@kapitolgroup.com.au or by calling 0427 085 707.

For PR-related questions contact Microsoft Media Relations.

For community related questions, contact us at MelDC@Microsoft.com.