Australia Post is leaving its long-standing home in central Melbourne for a new national headquarters to be built at hipster Burnley in the inner-east, joining a growing group of major corporates pursuing office life outside the CBD.

While the national carrier’s exit will not be until 2024 when its lease expires at the Southern Cross tower, the departure of as many as 4000 people will be a blow for efforts to revive the CBD after last year’s long lockdowns.