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Bundoora Residents Weigh Views on Local Infrastructure Projects
Community members discuss how developments such as the Dysons depot electrification and La Trobe University masterplan are shaping daily life in the suburb.
How we reported this
Bundoora faces 52 identified infrastructure projects that place the suburb in the top 10 percent nationally for nearby activity, including the M80 Ring Road Completion and Bundoora Centre Expansion.
The projects coincide with several large-scale efforts already underway, including Dysons construction of Victoria's largest zero-emissions bus facility and La Trobe University's $5 billion campus transformation. These initiatives affect transport access, housing supply and employment options for people living near the university and former hospital sites.
Key projects under way
Dysons has broken ground on its Bundoora depot electrification project, which will house up to 188 electric buses with staged completion expected through late 2026. MAB Corporation is delivering University Hill, a billion-dollar mixed-use development in 10 stages projected to generate over 3,500 new jobs. The $500 million Polaris 3083 residential and retail hub on the former Larundel Hospital site will deliver more than 1,100 dwellings and a new town centre next to La Trobe University. La Trobe University is executing its $5 billion masterplan across the 235-hectare Bundoora campus to house 15,000 people and support 40,000 students, with a planned Suburban Rail Loop station included.
Route 86 tram services already run from the Melbourne CBD to La Trobe University and RMIT Bundoora campuses at 5-10 minute weekday peak frequency, while bus routes 250, 555, 246, 568, 563/4 and 562 connect the area to Preston, Watsonia and surrounding suburbs.
Community perspectives on change
Local residents have begun discussing how the scale of these projects will alter commuting patterns, construction noise and access to new facilities in coming years. Some note the potential for better public transport links once the electric bus depot and rail station plans advance, while others highlight short-term disruptions around major sites such as the former Larundel Hospital location and the university campus. These conversations occur alongside the continued dominance of car travel, which accounts for 88 percent of commutes in a suburb of 28,068 residents recorded in the 2021 census.
Further project updates remain available through official announcements from the organisations involved, including Dysons, MAB Corporation and La Trobe University, as well as local planning channels.