As Victoria's gateway to the world, Melbourne Airport connects millions of people, businesses and communities every year. We are the largest employment hub in Victoria outside Melbourne's CBD, supporting more than 23,000 FTE jobs across a diverse airport precinct. As we continue to grow, we recognise our responsibility to ensure that growth is balanced with caring for the natural environment that surrounds us.

Sustainability is ultimately about safeguarding what sustains us: our communities, our economy and the natural environments that future generations will inherit. Many people are surprised to learn that Melbourne Airport's land area spans more than 2,700 hectares and supports waterways, native grasslands, woodlands and a range of threatened species, including the growling grass frog and golden sun moth. Protecting and enhancing these ecosystems is an important part of how we operate and plan for the future.

Working alongside environmental specialists, Melbourne Water, local councils and community partners, we actively manage and restore habitats across the airport’s land. This includes controlling weeds and pest animals, rehabilitating waterways and supporting the regeneration of native vegetation to improve biodiversity and ecological resilience.

Over the past year, more than 2,000 native trees and shrubs were planted through World Environment Day activities, with a further 6,385 native trees, shrubs and groundcovers established across the airport precinct. More than 726 hectares of noxious weeds were also treated to support ecological restoration and create healthier habitats for native flora and fauna.

Alongside our biodiversity initiatives, we continue to reduce the environmental footprint of airport operations. Melbourne Airport commits to a net zero operational emissions, an achievement we’ve been proud of since 2025. Our two solar farm installations generated around 32,000 MWh of renewable electricity annually. Significant infrastructure upgrades saw the hot water systems in Terminal 1 transition to electric heat pumps, and gas heating in baggage handling areas replaced with electric alternatives.

We are also focused on making better use of resources by diverting waste from landfill through beneficial reuse of soil and recycling construction materials. Recycled water continues to play an important role across the precinct, with around 12.84 million litres used during the year.

We are proud that these efforts continue to be recognised through independent accreditation and industry awards. In 2026, Melbourne Airport retained its five-star GRESB rating, successfully re-certified its Environmental Management System to ISO 14001:2015 standards and received Gold Recognition in the ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East Green Airports Recognition Awards for Climate Change Adaptation.

As Melbourne Airport looks to the future, we remain committed to connecting people and opportunities while protecting the environment and biodiversity that help make our region unique.