How the third runway will help Melbourne grow

Cities grow in ways you don't always notice straight away. You feel it in small ways. You see more families moving in, new businesses opening their doors and more activity in the places you pass through every day. With that growth comes the need to make sure the city’s infrastructure can handle what’s ahead. 

That’s where Melbourne Airport’s Third Runway Project comes in. Following approval of the Major Development Plan by the Federal Government in September 2024, early works are now underway on our second north-south runway, which will create a parallel runway system. This project is being developed for the long term, preparing for the decades of growth in aviation demand ahead. 

With a project of this scale, it’s fair to wonder what it means for the workers, industries and communities that depend on the airport every day. 

Big infrastructure projects don’t just show up overnight. They take time to build, and many people are needed to do the work that keeps projects moving. That’s exactly what’s happening now around Melbourne Airport. 

The new runway is bringing in engineers and crews for the early works, and other teams are already preparing for the main construction works. These efforts don’t just create jobs in the short term. They help lay the groundwork for many more jobs in the future. 

Here are some of the longer-term jobs the third runway will support once it’s up and running: 

• Ongoing roles in airfield operations and airport services 

• Increased demand across aviation support and ground handling teams 

• New opportunities in maintenance, logistics, freight and safety coordination 

• Precinct-based jobs in retail, hospitality and customer support 

• Employment linked to new business activity around the airport 

• More work in tourism around the state, supported by the increase in travel that the new runway makes possible 

When you add a new runway, you're not just adding pavement. You're increasing the airport’s ability to handle more aircraft, more often. That kind of added capacity makes a real difference to industries that rely on timing, movement and connection, including: 

• Tourism – More capacity means more options for visitors flying in, which is great news for hotels, local tours and regional destinations.

• Education – It’s not just international students who travel for education. More reliable flight access supports universities, researchers and exchange programs right across the education sector.  

• Business travel and corporate services – When flights run more smoothly, it’s easier for Melbourne businesses to meet partners, create new business opportunities, attend events and stay competitive in a fast-moving global market. 

• Freight and logistics – Added runway capacity helps freight move more efficiently, supporting express deliveries, high-value goods and time-sensitive exports. 

• Agriculture and food exports – More runway capacity helps Victoria’s growers and food exporters move fresh goods efficiently, keeping them competitive in international markets. 

• Advanced manufacturing – With more reliable air access, manufacturers can move time-sensitive components in and out of Melbourne more reliably and better compete on the world stage. 

• Aviation services – More movements through the airfield mean more activity for the teams that keep planes moving, from ground crews and maintenance to safety and refuelling. 

• Retail – More passengers moving through the terminals creates steadier demand for shops, cafes and services – both inside the airport and in the growing precinct around it. 

These sectors already rely on Melbourne Airport to stay connected, but a new runway gives them more flexibility and more confidence in how they plan.

A third runway helps Melbourne Airport manage more take-offs and landings during peak periods. This keeps flights moving on schedule, which gives the state’s economy the reliability it needs to grow. 

Here’s how it’s expected to support the state’s economy over time: 

• Gives freight operators, exporters and importers more opportunity to get their products to market 

• Supports long-term investment across the airport precinct and beyond 

• Strengthens access to national and international trade routes 

• Reinforces Melbourne’s role in a well-connected, reliable transport network

When big infrastructure changes take shape, it’s important to consider how the work is done and how the people nearby are involved.  

Growth brings change, and we need to manage that change in ways that reflect the needs of communities in places like Brimbank and Hume. Here are some of the steps in place to help balance growth with community wellbeing: 

• Ongoing community consultations to share updates and hear local feedback 

• A Noise Sharing Plan to distribute aircraft movements over different areas outside of peak periods so that the most impacted communities have periods of respite from aircraft noise 

• A Noise Amelioration Plan to mitigate aircraft noise impacts in eligible homes and sensitive facilities in the Hume and Brimbank areas nearest to the airport 

• A planned 20-plus year Community Health Study to monitor potential health impacts related to aircraft noise on communities near the airport

If you’ve noticed works underway along Sunbury Road, that’s part of the early preparation to support this project and keep things moving safely as construction progresses. 

Like other major projects built to serve the state for decades, the Third Runway Project is being carried out carefully. That includes everything from early works and community engagement, through to the testing and final steps that will be required to get planes on the new runway. 

Here’s how things are tracking: 

• 2024 – Final approvals received from the Federal Government 

• 2025 – Early works began, including road upgrades and cultural heritage salvage, alongside community engagement on the Noise Sharing Plan and Noise Amelioration Plan and Program 

• 2026 – Main construction works are expected to get underway 

• 2027 – Community Health Study due to begin 

• 2030-2031 – Testing and operational checks across the site 

• 2031 – Third runway expected to open for flights 

It’s not always easy keeping up with a project of this scale. That’s why we’re committed to sharing clear fact sheets and videos so you know what’s happening, what it means and how you can stay involved. 

Whether you live nearby, travel through the airport or just want to stay across what’s next, there are a few ways to keep in touch. You can sign up for updates, check out our Major Projects Hub, or email the team at newrunway@melair.com.au. 

There’s still a lot of work to do, but when it’s done right, you end up with an airport that brings reliable aviation capacity long after the ribbon has been cut.