Steel made in Australia right for offshore wind
6 November 2025
Australia’s leading offshore wind project, Star of the South, has uncovered a raft of opportunities for steel makers and fabricators across the country to manufacture components for the project.
Star of the South toured factories in the Latrobe Valley, Geelong, Bendigo, Melbourne, Illawarra, Hunter and Perth, to see local capabilities first-hand and map out what can be made in Australia.
The fabrication of intricate ‘secondary steel’ components is the key opportunity identified for Australian steel in the offshore wind sector. These parts are attached to turbine foundations and require a highly skilled workforce to fabricate and install.
Star of the South CEO, Charles Rattray, said there are strong opportunities for locally made steel and steel products on the project.
“We’ve done a deep dive into Australia’s manufacturing strengths to understand what’s possible – now we’re stepping up our efforts to ensure we use Australian-made wherever possible.
“Some 300 tonnes of steel components per turbine can realistically be made and fabricated here in Australia today, including platforms, walkways, ladders, railings, tubes and other structures.
“The steel opportunity on Star of the South alone would inject millions into Australian manufacturing, securing highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships in regions like the Latrobe Valley and Illawarra – and this opportunity will only grow with the industry.”
Star of the South has been working closely with steel suppliers and fabricators since 2021 to understand and define specific opportunities for Australian steel in offshore wind. Touring manufacturing facilities with a steel mill, foundation designer and global Tier 1 foundation supplier has been the most recent step towards realising these opportunities.
Star of the South’s foundation designer travelled from Europe for the tour and will use learnings and advice from local manufacturers to design the foundations and set specifications that align with Australian standards wherever possible.
The project has a ‘look local first’ procurement commitment which aims to maximise the use of Australian goods and services, with a focus on the Gippsland region where the project is located. It has already spent over $5.4 million directly in Gippsland during early project development by buying and hiring local.
Star of the South is an up to 2.2 GW offshore wind energy project with the potential to power 1.2 million homes across 30 years of operations, directly invest $7 billion into the Australian economy and create 6,600 jobs over the project’s life.
The project has been under development since 2017 and has completed feasibility studies, environmental surveys, supply chain and workforce studies, and extensive community consultation. Star of the South expects to submit applications for Commonwealth and Victorian environment and planning approvals and participate in Victoria’s first offshore wind auction this year. If successful, construction is targeted later this decade to support Victoria’s energy transition with the closure of Yallourn Power Station scheduled for 2028 and Loy Yang A for 2035.