Racing Victoria has secured a large parcel of land on the urban fringe of Melbourne that it hopes will future proof the thoroughbred racing industry.

The price and location are currently the subject of confidentiality provisions, however the land is more than three times the size of Flemington racecourse and only 10 minutes from Tullamarine Airport and 30 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD.

The parcel of land was deemed most suitable given its proximity to the transport infrastructure including the future Outer Melbourne Ring Road and its easy accessibility to the city and inner suburbs.

Currently used for farming, the land could be developed for many purposes including a new training centre, a new racetrack, equine welfare programs, quarantine facilities, and workforce development, as well as community engagement opportunities.

With Living Legends close by as well as the Inglis horse sales complex, the land provides Victorian racing with the potential to create a world class horse precinct within reach of Melbourne’s CBD.

RV Chief Executive, Giles Thompson, said the racing industry had been looking for a significant parcel of land in the area for a number of years.

“This land helps future proof our industry and delivers a valuable asset for Victorian racing,” Thompson said.

“Its size and location provides the industry with a number of potential uses which will be workshopped and planned in the years to come.

“In making this announcement, I want to acknowledge and thank the VRC for their assistance in helping the industry realise this unique and significant opportunity.”

In the coming weeks, RV will release an infrastructure green paper which will consider the racing and training needs of the Victorian racing industry for the next decade with submissions to be invited from all stakeholders and interested parties.

The land purchase will form part of that green paper from which RV will be seeking to finalise an infrastructure blueprint for Victorian racing by mid-2023.