Kennards Hire has officially opened its 49th Victorian branch: a brand-new, purpose-built site in Craigieburn, marking another milestone in its investment across Melbourne’s booming northern suburbs.
This is Kennards Hire’s second purpose-built site in Victoria, following the Ballarat Branch in 2023. The layout has been designed with customer convenience in mind, with a side-entry counter that streamlines pick-ups and drop-offs. Spanning 3,000sqm, the site stocks a wide range of equipment, from earthmoving and access gear to lawn care tools and general construction essentials, tailored to the needs of local projects. The new branch is led by James McMillan, who heads up the five-person team that blends experienced members from nearby branches with returning staff and new talent.
With a focus on building a high-performing, people-first culture, James says he’s creating a workplace based on trust, growth and collaboration.
“I’ve always aspired to be the kind of leader who supports their team and brings out the best in them, just like the great mentors I’ve been lucky to learn from,” he said.
The branch reports into Area Manager Scott Rimmer, Area Manager, VIC Operations, who started with Kennards Hire at 18 years old delivering equipment. 17years on, he now oversees seven branches across northern Melbourne. “The culture here is real,” Scott said. “It’s why I came back, and why I’ll probably retire here.”
While still settling in, the Craigieburn team is already involved in the local community, with a strong track record of supporting grassroots initiatives across the Kennards Hire
network.
“We’re not just opening a branch, we’re becoming part of the community,” Scott said. “For example, we sponsor the Loughlan Football Club and have been a proud uniform sponsor of the Wallan Football Netball Club. We also support these clubs with equipment like traffic control gear, marquees and barbecues. It’s about showing up for the community, not just operating in it.”
Strategically positioned with direct access to Sydney Road and the Hume Highway, the branch is set to serve Craigieburn, Campbellfield and surrounding areas. This helps ease pressure on nearby Airport West and Thomastown sites and offers faster, more convenient access to equipment for tradies, businesses and DIYers. “Craigieburn is a key part of our growth strategy. We’re not just keeping up with demand, we’re getting ahead of it,” said Scott. “This branch has everything our customers have asked for: more space, better layout and amenities that make the experience easier for everyone.”
To see a time-lapse of how the new akennards site was built, click the image.
The new branch is located at 1-3 Grasslands Avenue, Craigieburn, VIC 3064.