The Invisible Engines of Australia’s Digital Economy
Every time you stream a movie, use mobile banking, or save a file to the cloud, you use a data center. These secure, power-hungry buildings are the physical homes of the internet. They contain thousands of servers that process and store the world’s data.
Australia has rapidly become a global hotspot for digital infrastructure. We are a stable, highly connected country with a massive appetite for technology. Consequently, the australia data center market is booming. Billions of dollars are pouring into the country to build bigger, faster facilities.
This boom is driven by digital transformation across businesses and the massive growth of cloud computing. Tech giants need local homes for their services. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud all require immense local capacity. They need this to serve Australian customers quickly and securely.
But who builds and runs these massive facilities? It is rarely the cloud companies themselves. Instead, specialized data center provider companies build the physical infrastructure. They then lease space, power, and cooling to technology giants and large enterprises.
We have ranked the top players powering the nation. This list is based on “installed IT capacity,” measured in Megawatts (MW). This metric indicates the sheer computing power a facility currently supports.
Understanding the Data Center Landscape
Before we look at the top 10, it helps to understand a few basics about this complex industry.
A data center is more than just a warehouse for computers. It is highly engineered critical infrastructure. It demands redundant power supplies, advanced cooling systems, and intense physical security.
There are different categories of facilities. You might want to read more about the different types of data centers to understand the distinctions.
Reliability is also key. Facilities are rated by how resistant they are to failure. Knowing what are data center tiers? helps explain these reliability levels.
Finally, most companies listed here operate on a “colocation” model. If you are unfamiliar with that term, check out our guide: What is colocation data center?
The Australian Market Boom Driving Demand
The demand for Australian data centers is unprecedented. Several key factors are driving this incredible growth in infrastructure.
Firstly, the adoption of public cloud solutions is accelerating. Australian businesses are moving away from on-site servers. They are migrating en masse to hyperscale platforms like Microsoft Azure and AWS. This requires massive centralized facilities.
Secondly, artificial intelligence is changing the game. An AI data center requires far more power density than a traditional one. AI chips run very hot. They need advanced cooling technology and immense amounts of electricity. This new wave of “GPU-hungry” demand is pushing developers to build larger campuses.
Thirdly, data sovereignty is crucial. The Australian Federal Government and highly regulated industries like banking must keep certain data within national borders. This reliance on domestic data storage boosts local providers.
Finally, network connectivity is improving. New subsea cables connect Australia to Asia and the US. This enhances Australia’s role as a regional digital hub, extending beyond just serving local needs.
Top 7 Largest Data Center Companies: Australia
This ranking looks at operational capacity as of late 2025. We are looking at what is built today, not just what is promised in future plans.
1. AirTrunk
Installed Capacity: 755+ MW
AirTrunk is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the Australian market. They specialize in hyperscale data centers. These are massive campuses designed specifically for the world’s largest cloud technology companies.
They operate huge facilities in Western Sydney and Melbourne. They also recently completed significant expansions in Sydney’s North. Their business model focuses on speed and scale. They build massive data centre capacity faster than almost anyone else in the region. Their focus is wholesale, meaning they sell huge chunks of power to a few very large customers.
2. STACK Infrastructure
Installed Capacity: ~514 MW
STACK is a newer entrant to the Australian market but has arrived with significant impact. They are a global developer backed by major institutional capital.
They recently opened their first large-scale facility in Melbourne. They focus on delivering large, scalable “campus” environments for hyperscale clients. STACK represents the new wave of global investment flooding into the Australian market to meet future demand.
The company currently has 2 major campuses in Melbourne named MEL01 and MEL02 with a total installed capacity of 432 MW.
It has recently announced plans for a massive 250 MW expansion across multiple new sites in Melbourne and Sydney to chase the AI boom.
3. NextDC
Installed Capacity: ~265 MW
NextDC is Australia’s most prominent locally listed data center company. They operate a national network of premium Tier IV facilities. They have a major presence in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Canberra. The company ended FY25 with 121 MW of capacity under construction and more than 100 MW in planning.
NextDC is known for high reliability and excellent network infrastructure. They serve a wide mix of customers. This ranges from large enterprises and government agencies to global cloud providers. Their facilities often act as central hubs where different networks connect. They are currently building new, larger generation facilities to support the AI boom.
4. CDC Data Centres
Installed Capacity: ~264 MW
CDC is a powerhouse, particularly in the government and defense sectors. They are famous for their highly secure, sovereign facilities. They are the dominant player in Canberra within the Australian Capital Territory.
The company has 302MW of data center capacity in operation, with 388MW in development across Melbourne (121MW), Sydney (158MW), Canberra (39MW), and New Zealand (70MW) set to go within 18 months. The company’s future development pipeline now totals a further 1.6GW out to 2034.
CDC is trusted with some of Australia’s most sensitive data. They also have very large operations in Sydney and Melbourne. They are currently expanding aggressively to meet the needs of hyperscale cloud providers who require top-tier security. Their focus on critical infrastructure makes them a unique and vital player.
5. Equinix
Installed Capacity: ~150 MW
Equinix is the world’s largest digital infrastructure company. In Australia, they operate over 18 facilities across all major metros. Their primary strength is “interconnection.”
Equinix facilities are where the internet’s networks physically meet. A company puts servers in Equinix not just for space, but to connect directly to partners, clouds, and networks. While they have massive capacity, their value proposition is heavily focused on this connectivity ecosystem. They are the ultimate neutral meeting place for the digital economy.
The company signed a massive PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) in 2024 for 151 MW of renewable energy to decarbonize their entire Australian energy footprint.
6. Fujitsu Australia
Installed Capacity: ~139.8 MW
Fujitsu is a long-standing, trusted name in Australian IT. They have a very large, established data center footprint. Their flagship campus in Western Sydney is enormous.
They also hold significant assets in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Fujitsu often provides managed data center services along with raw space. They cater heavily to large enterprises and government clients who need a hands-on technology partner. They are a veteran player with deep roots in the local market.
Its largest data center in AUstralia is its Greystanes, Western Sydney Data Centre which has the installed IT capacity of 92 MW which holds around 40 data halls and and 24,000 square metres of technical data hall area, designed to meet the requirements of hyperscalers, global multinationals, government, enterprises.
Unlike others building new sites, Fujitsu has focused on modernizing its existing Western Sydney hyperscale site to improve PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) for government clients.
7. Macquarie Data Centres
Installed Capacity: ~65 MW
Macquarie Data Centre is part of the ASX-listed Macquarie Technology Group. They position themselves as the Australian sovereign specialist.
They have a major, growing campus in Sydney’s technology hub of Macquarie Park. They also operate highly secure facilities in Canberra for federal government clients. They are currently investing heavily in constructing new, AI-ready facilities to capture the next wave of demand. They are a key domestic competitor to the global giants in Australia.
In late 2025, they “topped out” (completed the structure of) the IC3 Super West facility. Once opened (scheduled 2026), this will add 47 MW of AI-ready capacity to their portfolio.
The company has also secured renewed sovereign cloud hosting contracts with the Australian Federal Government.
Beyond the top seven leaders, the Australian landscape is supported by several other heavyweight contenders. While these providers do not publicly itemize their specific installed IT capacity figures, they maintain a significant operational footprint and critical infrastructure across the country. Other major data center companies with a strong Australian presence include:
Digital Realty
Installed Capacity: ~unknown MW
Digital Realty is another global giant with a significant Australian footprint. They operate 3 large campuses, particularly in Western Sydney at Erskine Park.
Like AirTrunk, they are a major provider of hyperscale data centre space for global tech firms. They combine enormous scale with a global platform. This allows multinational customers to deploy infrastructure consistently across the world. They are a key backbone provider for the major cloud platforms operating down under.
The company recently acquired a significant land bank in Western Sydney to build a new 250 MW hyperscale campus to support AI demand. IT is also actively retrofitting existing halls in Sydney to support high-density liquid cooling for AI workloads.
Global Switch (DigiCo)
Estimated Installed Capacity: ~64 MW
Global Switch operates a massive, incredibly dense data center campus right on the fringe of the Sydney CBD. Location is their biggest advantage.
Being so close to the city center makes them a critical hub for telecommunications and financial services. Their facility is highly connected. It serves as a vital gateway for international data entering Australia. The Australian assets were recently acquired, moving under the DigiCo brand, but the infrastructure remains vital.
Keppel Data Centers
Estimated Installed Capacity: Unknown (operates only one data center in Sydney)
Keppel is a Singapore-based giant with significant Australian assets. Their main operation is the Gore Hill data center in Sydney.
This facility is a key connectivity hub located north of the harbour bridge. Keppel focuses on high-quality, reliable infrastructure. They serve a mix of wholesale and colocation customers. They provide a strategic alternative location to the heavy concentration of data centers in Western Sydney.
Beyond the Big Cities: The Edge Frontier
Currently, most data center capacity is concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne. These cities have the largest populations and best fiber connectivity. However, the market is evolving.
We are seeing increasing activity in places like Perth in Western Australia and Adelaide in South Australia. These locations are important for redundancy and connecting to new subsea cables. The Northern Territory is also emerging as a potential gateway to Asia.
Furthermore, edge computing is gaining traction. This involves smaller edge centres located closer to users. This reduces latency for applications like autonomous vehicles or real-time analytics. While the big campuses house the bulk of the data, the “edge” is where the immediate action happens.
The race to build Australia’s digital foundation is far from over. New players like Vantage Data Centers are actively building, and existing giants are constantly expanding. The appetite for data shows no signs of slowing down.