Macquarie to buy A$240m site for 200MW data centre
Author: Joe Peck
Australian data centre operator Macquarie Data Centres, part of Macquarie Technology Group, has announced plans to develop a new engineering and technology campus alongside a proposed 200MW data centre campus in Macquarie Park, Sydney, Australia.
The company has exercised its option to acquire a 34,200m² development site for A$240 million (£124 million), with completion of the purchase subject to standard settlement procedures. The proposed development remains subject to planning and other regulatory approvals.
Located in Sydney’s North Zone (AZ1), the campus is intended to support AI, cloud, and cybersecurity infrastructure, whilst also providing engineering and research opportunities through a partnership with Macquarie University. Initial construction is expected to be completed in late 2029, subject to approvals.
David Hirst (pictured above), CEO of Macquarie Data Centres, comments, “Alongside the ~200MW of Australian-owned and operated data centre [capacity] this will deliver to Sydney’s North Zone, the proposed campus will also deliver lasting benefit to the local community.
“In partnership with Macquarie University, students and researchers will gain hands-on access to the latest data centre, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies. It will also provide a more than one-acre-sized, intergenerational community park for City of Ryde residents.”
Campus plans extend beyond data centre infrastructure
Macquarie says the proposed facility is being designed to support high-density AI workloads using advanced air cooling, closed-loop cooling technology (to minimise operational water consumption), and direct-to-chip liquid cooling within the data halls.
The company also plans to incorporate community facilities into the site, including a park of more than one acre, a community garden, and an outdoor art gallery, subject to planning approval.
Macquarie Data Centres says the development builds on its existing partnership with Macquarie University and is intended to provide students and researchers with access to operational data centre, cloud, AI, and cybersecurity technologies.
For more from Macquarie Data Centres, click here.
