Geelong to be ‘utterly central’ to Australia’s offshore wind industry

GeelongPort is on track to place Corio Bay at the “centre” of Australia’s offshore wind industry thanks to a $500m offshore wind farm terminal that could be up and running by late 2028.

GeelongPort is on-track to develop a $500m offshore wind farm terminal which would place Corio Bay at the centre of Australia’s offshore wind industry.

GeelongPort is on track to place Corio Bay at the “centre” of Australia’s offshore wind industry with its $500m offshore wind farm terminal development slated to be up and running by late 2028 or early 2029.

The renewables hub, to be built at its 25ha Oyster Cove site, would support the development of Victoria’s offshore wind industry.

GeelongPort, one of many ports needed for the industry, is moving to capitalise on the federal government veto of a rival facility in Hastings.

Left to right: Lara MP Ella George, Committee for Geelong chief executive Michael Johnston, GeelongPort chief executive Brett Winter and Deputy PM and Member for Corio Richard Marles.

GeelongPort chief executive Brett Winter said the project was on track to have the terminal running by late 2028 or early 2029, as GeelongPort worked with both federal and state governments to achieve their renewable energy targets.

“Given the natural advantages of the Oyster Cove site and the speed at which we can get our project up and running, we are well placed to help get this new industry off the ground and achieve Australia’s offshore wind targets,” he said.

Mr Winter said the project would be one “cornerstone” terminal in the multi-port strategy that would support an offshore wind sector in Victoria, and achieve two gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2032.

Deputy Prime Minister and Corio MP Richard Marles said the terminal, and using the offshore wind resources along the Victorian coast, was a “critical component” towards Australia achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

“This is very much a part of our nation’s future, our state’s future and indeed our city’s future,” he said.

“The offshore wind reserve that will be in the southwest of Victoria as well as in Gippsland will be one of the largest sources of wind energy that we derive in Australia.

“At the core of Geelong we are incredibly strategically located relative to both of those.”

Mr Marles said the project would build on the legacy of Geelong’s port.

“And when we think about the future, the port of Geelong is central to that as well,” he said. “It’s right at the heart of a project of national significance. I don’t think we’d get this done without the port of Geelong being utterly central to it all.”

He said the project would also continue to reinvigorate Corio, and “breathe life into this area” and benefit the economy of Geelong, providing 4200 direct and indirect jobs for Victorians during construction and an additional 850 once operational.

Committee for Geelong chief executive Michael Johnston said the terminal would place Geelong as the front runner in offshore renewables.

Originally published as Geelong to be ‘utterly central’ to Australia’s offshore wind industry