EdgeConneX has entered the Australian market through a joint venture with Stockland, with plans to develop data centre campuses in Sydney and Melbourne.
The 50-50 partnership will develop, own and operate a portfolio of hyperscale sites across Australia. It has an initial pipeline in the two largest cities and has already secured 450MW of power.
EdgeConneX has also appointed Chris Maher as Managing Director for Australia to lead its local business and market development strategy as the venture expands.
The move gives the US-founded digital infrastructure group a formal base in a market attracting growing interest from global data centre operators and investors, driven by cloud demand, artificial intelligence workloads and access to renewable energy.
Stockland brings land, development and project management experience to the venture, while EdgeConneX contributes international experience in delivering data centre facilities for large content, cloud and AI customers. The partners are also progressing further power applications and planning work beyond the initial secured capacity.
Maher joins with more than 20 years of experience across digital infrastructure, asset management and finance in Asia Pacific and the United States. He has worked on the establishment and growth of major digital infrastructure businesses, including data centre development, operations and large-scale infrastructure investment.
Local push
EdgeConneX has also joined Data Centres Australia as a principal member, adding its name to an industry body representing more than 100 organisations involved in data centres and AI infrastructure.
Justin Louis, Chief Investment Officer at Stockland, outlined the rationale for the tie-up. "Our partnership with EdgeConneX brings together Stockland's local development capabilities and EdgeConneX's international hyperscale and AI Factory experience. Together, we are creating a strong platform to support the responsible growth of Australia's digital economy," he said.
For EdgeConneX, the Australian expansion is part of a broader Asia Pacific push as operators race to secure land and electricity in key metropolitan markets. Access to power has become one of the main constraints on new data centre development, particularly as AI computing requirements drive larger campuses and higher densities.
Maher said the market offered a broad industrial and economic opportunity. "Australia has a significant opportunity to become a leading market for digital infrastructure and AI," said Chris Maher, Managing Director for Australia at EdgeConneX. "Digital infrastructure and the technology it enables are transforming the way we live and work, from healthcare to agriculture and mining. I'm excited to join EdgeConneX at such a pivotal moment and to build, with our partners and customers, the sustainable digital foundations Australia needs."
Market backdrop
Data Centres Australia pointed to the wider economic case for investment in the sector. According to the industry's latest Economic Impact report, Australia could use its renewable energy base to meet regional AI demand and expand digital exports.
The report estimated that capturing the AI export market could add up to $4.1 billion in additional annual economic activity by 2030 and support up to 17,120 additional jobs, on top of activity linked to domestic demand.
Belinda Dennett, Chief Executive Officer at Data Centres Australia, welcomed the new entrant. "We are delighted to welcome EdgeConneX as a member and contributor to the growing Australian market for hyperscale data centers. Australia has a significant opportunity to lead the region in sustainable data center development, capturing economic and strategic advantage through the current wave of global AI infrastructure investment. I would like to congratulate Chris Maher on his appointment and look forward to working with EdgeConneX and Stockland as they establish their presence," she said.
Kelvin Fong, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at EdgeConneX, said Australia stood out within the region for infrastructure investment. "Australia is one of the fastest-growing infrastructure hubs in the region," he said. "It offers strong fundamentals such as renewable energy for long-term sustainable infrastructure investment, and with Chris leading our local team, we look forward to supporting our customers as they grow in this market."
EdgeConneX is backed by EQT Infrastructure, part of investment group EQT, and has been recognised by Structure Research for three consecutive years in its environmental reporting assessment.