Star of the South: Australia's First Offshore Wind Project

Star of the South: Project overview

Star of the South is a proposed offshore wind development in the Australian state of Victoria. Should the project go ahead it is estimated it will provide enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes (roughly 18% of Victoria’s energy needs). The construction of the Star of the South will require around 2000 workers, with the potential for 200 ongoing jobs when the project is up and running.

Star of the South: Key Facts

Project Components

Licence Area

Star of the South Progress

The Australian Government awarded a licence to the Star of the South project to conduct site investigations in March 2019. Wind and wave monitoring equipment was deployed off the south coast of Gippsland in November 2019.

Star of the South will use two wind measuring devices, (floating LiDARs), and a wave buoy to determine marine conditions. Other investigations such as seabed surveys will be conducted, as well as baseline environmental surveys for marine life and birds.

Fish Surveys, July 2020

Seabed Studies

“The Star of the South offshore wind farm would be a game changer for new renewable energy supply and taking action on climate change in Victoria. It will create thousands of jobs and mark the beginning of a whole new sector” Friends of the Earth spokesperson Pat Simons said.

“We’re excited to start the next phase of our work – we’ve done a lot of background studies and look forward to getting out there and further understanding the marine environment,” Star of the South CEO Andy Evans said.

“This is an incredibly exciting proposal that has the potential to be a real game-changer in Gippsland – not only in terms of power generation, but also for local jobs and economic growth.”

Star of the South & The Victorian Economic Recovery

The Victorian economy has taken a massive hit in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and extended lockdowns. The ratings agency Moody’s predict the Australian economy will not recover to pre-virus levels until 2022, and it is expected that unemployment will climb to 7%. In Victoria it is expected that unemployment will remain above 10% until 2021.

Star of the South and other infrastructure projects could provide a solution to Victoria’s struggling economy, generating thousands of jobs and investment.

Ossian sincerely hope Star of the South will get the necessary government approvals to progress, so that Victoria can move to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Star of the South: Australia’s First Offshore Wind Project