Project update - October 2023

Written By Star of the South

31 October 2023

Community Advisory Group local port visit 

This month, our Community Advisory Group hit the road to visit Port Anthony – one of two local ports being considered for Star of the South’s Gippsland Operations Base.  

The group heard from Star of the South Ports Manager Michael about port requirements for offshore wind, and Port Anthony Managing Director Ben about the port’s history in the offshore oil and gas industry and future plans to service offshore wind in Gippsland. 

They also dropped by the Toora Wind Farm to get up close to a turbine. Site Manager and Community Advisory Group member Jono shared his experience of living locally and working in renewables. 

Here’s a snapshot of the trip. 

We’re out and about  

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to talk with us at the Melbourne Boat Show last weekend. It was great to see some familiar faces and meet new people. We spoke with people from all over Victoria with an interest in boating, fishing and offshore wind.  

Over the next month we’ll be out around Gippsland, including: 

Visit Get Involved for more information on where to find us.  

We spoke with more than 150 interested boaters and fishers at the Melbourne Boat Show. 

Involving the next generation to shape Gippsland’s future 

Talking with young Gippslanders about their hopes and dreams for the future is a great privilege - and a reminder of why we do what we do!  

We've recently had a flurry of visitors to our office and trips out to schools and careers events across the region. This gives us a chance to listen to young people’s ideas and views while sharing information about Star of the South and future opportunities in the offshore wind industry.  

Here’s a few of the ways we’ve been working with the next generation:  

  • Taking part in the Gippy Youth Summit in Sale, which hosted hundreds of students from across the region  

  • Welcoming the Yarram Cubs and Scouts to our Gippsland office to talk about offshore wind 

  • Attending the Gippsland Tech School Science Week event in Morwell 

  • Participating as an industry partner in Yarram Secondary College’s Broadening Horizons Program for Year 8 students, where students seek to solve real-world problems  

  • Joining the Gippsland Grammar Year 9 Renewable Technology class to discuss Star of the South and offshore wind jobs of the future.  

Yarram Scouts and Cubs enjoyed using the 3D model kiosk at our Gippsland office.

Your FAQs answered 

Here’s a few of questions we’re commonly asked, and our answers. 

When does construction start? 

It takes a long time to plan an offshore wind farm project – around 6-10 years. We’ll need to go through comprehensive environmental assessment, approval and licensing processes before we can start construction. The first step is getting a Feasibility Licence, which we applied for earlier this year. If successful, we’ll then prepare and submit our environmental assessments and management plans. If approved, construction could begin later this decade.

I work in the coal industry, could I work in offshore wind?  

Absolutely. We have found that around 70 per cent of coal power and mining workers are ready for a career in offshore wind. People with a trade or engineering qualification will be in high demand and already have many of the skills needed to work in the industry.

Check out our Guide for Workers to find out more.  

Can I fish in an offshore wind farm? 

Yes, angling can continue in an operating offshore wind farm. This already happens in other countries. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the USA recently shared a video showing how offshore wind turbines are creating new habitat and increasing fish stocks, watch it here.

We’re looking into things like how close to a turbine is safe to fish, and any safety considerations for anchoring near cables. We’d love to hear about how you fish in the area and ideas for sharing the waters safely. Fill out our fishing survey here.

Will you use local ports to create local jobs? 

Yes, we’re planning to use either Barry Beach Marine Terminal or Port Anthony in South Gippsland as our Gippsland Operations Base. This is where around 200 workers managing day-to-day wind farm construction and operations activities would be based across the 30-year life of the project. 

Have a question about the project? Get in touch with our team on 1800 340 340,  info@starofthesouth.com.au or drop into our office at 310 Commercial Road Yarram, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

Victorian manufacturing grants now open 

Victorian businesses ramping up to supply the renewables sector, including offshore wind, could be eligible for new Victorian Government grant funding. 

The Made in Victoria – Energy Technologies Manufacturing Program provides funding between $100-$750k for local manufacturers to make the products and components needed for Victoria to reach net zero emissions by 2045. 

Find out if your business is eligible.

We’ve updated our Privacy Policy 

We’ve updated our privacy policy outlining our obligations and commitments for managing your personal information.  

Read our updated Privacy Policy here.

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