A Melbourne court has heard a man plotted terrorist attacks against anarchist groups and Victorian trade unions in 2016 as part of an extreme right-wing ideology.

Key points: The court was told Mr Galea was preparing a document to lead to "thousands" of terror attacks

The court was told Mr Galea was preparing a document to lead to "thousands" of terror attacks He researched bomb-making, including methods and ingredients, the court heard

He researched bomb-making, including methods and ingredients, the court heard The prosecution said it would rely on telephone intercepts and text messages to support its case

Phillip Galea, 34, is on trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria for committing "acts in preparation for, or planning a terrorist act" and attempting to make a document likely to facilitate a terrorist act.

In his opening address, prosecutor Richard Maidment told the jury Mr Galea believed the left wing of politics and Muslims "posed an existential threat to ordinary Australians".

The court heard Mr Galea was preparing a how-to document he hoped would "lead to thousands upon thousands of terrorist acts".

He had targeted the Victorian Trades Hall building in Carlton, the Melbourne Anarchist Club in Northcote and the Resistance Centre in the city, the court heard.

The indictment released by the court alleged he conducted research on the ingredients and methods required to make bombs.

Mr Galea is also accused of trying to recruit others to participate in attacks on the targeted premises.

Mr Galea's aim, Mr Maidment told the jury, was to "reduce the influence of persons or groups associated with left-wing ideology" in Australia.

Prosecutors alleged Mr Galea wanted to target Melbourne's Trades Hall. ( ABC News: Rudy De Santis )

Mr Galea is alleged to have engaged in six separate types of conduct to advance a political, religious or ideological cause through the "use of significant violence" in the year before he was arrested in August 2016.

Prosecutors alleged he was making a so-called "Patriot's Cookbook", a document designed to "excite those who would see it, to engage in terrorist acts … to engage in violent activity".

The court was told Mr Galea was a member of Reclaim Australia, a right-wing, "patriotic" movement.

The prosecution told the jury it would rely on intercepted telephone calls and text messages, material posted on social media and other evidence to support its case.

Online search for sodium nitrate

The court heard he also targeted the Resistance Centre, which is where the Socialist Alliance group is based in Swanston Street in the city.

The court was told in April or May 2016, Mr Galea uploaded a partially completed document to the Dropbox file sharing site, but it was taken down a short time later.

A finalised version of the document was not found when police seized his computer during a raid on his Braybrook home in August 2016.

Mr Maidment alleged Mr Galea wanted to make smoke bombs for right-wing extremists to use at rallies held by left-wing groups.

The court also heard Mr Galea and some of his associates made reference to protests against the building of a mosque in Bendigo.

The court heard he conducted online searches for "saltpetre", "sodium nitrate" and other chemicals.

He also did searches for the terms "gun control" and "Adler" — a reference to a lever-action shotgun which was withdrawn from sale in Australia in 2015.

Defence lawyers for Mr Galea have yet to address the jury.

The trial before Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth continues.