Toyota Australia Altona Plant
| Company type | Manufacturing plant |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Fate | Closed as vehicle manufacturing plant in October 2017; repurposed for hydrogen fuel cell power generator assembly from 2024 |
| Headquarters | Altona North, Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Automobiles, automotive engines, badge-engineered vehicles |
The Toyota Australia Altona Plant served as a manufacturing site for Toyota Australia located in the Melbourne suburb of Altona North.
History
Established in 1978, the Altona facility marked Toyota's inaugural engine manufacturing operation outside Japan. Panel production commenced there in 1983. The plant began full-scale vehicle assembly in July 1994 when production of the Corolla was relocated from Port Melbourne, followed by the introduction of the Camry in January 1995. The expanded facility, constructed by John Holland, was officially opened by then-Prime Minister Paul Keating.
The Altona site also manufactured badge-engineered versions such as the Holden Apollo and Holden Nova. Additionally, it exported vehicles to various countries including Brunei, Kuwait, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. By August 2012, the plant had reached a milestone of producing its one millionth vehicle for export.
In February 2014, Toyota declared its intention to close the Altona plant as part of a broader strategy to end local manufacturing operations, with the shutdown completed in October 2017. Following closure, the location was transformed into a Centre of Excellence encompassing vehicle design and testing studios, training areas, a simulated sales showroom, an auditorium, and a bistro accommodating 400 guests.
From 2024 onwards, Toyota repurposed the Altona facility for the assembly and distribution of stationary hydrogen fuel cell power generators, reflecting its commitment to advancing sustainable technology solutions.