Project update - June 2022
30 June 2022
Come and see us at the footy
Come and chat with us at the Yarram vs Woodside football and netball clash on Saturday 16 July at the Yarram Recreation Reserve from 11 am – 2:30 pm. We’d love to meet you there and answer your questions about offshore wind while taking in the country football action.
School holiday colouring competition
Looking for a fun indoor activity for the kids these school holidays? We're running a colouring competition to see just how creative our youngest community members can be.
The three most creative and colourful entries will each receive a $20 voucher for Artichoke Books in Yarram.
Here's how to get involved:
1. Download or pick up a colouring sheet
2. Get creative - colour and decorate all the creatures that live under the sea
3. Get it to us by 5pm Tuesday 12 July.
Some other things you'll need to know:
- Hard copy and digital colourings accepted
- Please add artists first name and age on the front, along with a parent/guardian’s name and contact details on the back
- Submit via email to info@starofthesouth.com.au or drop off at 310 Commercial Road, Yarram (if the office isn’t open, slip it through the book return shoot at the front of the building)
We look forward to seeing all the colourings brightening up our office wall!
Winners will be selected on Wednesday 13 July.
Explore the project virtually
We’re often asked what the offshore wind farm would look like, so we’ve developed some interactive tools that let you see for yourself.
Visit our interactive map to:
- See views of the wind farm from the coast
- Learn about offshore wind turbines
- See examples of how the wind farm could be designed
- Find out more about the transmission system
- Ask questions or provide feedback about what you see.
Looking for more detail? Visit our Gippsland office to use our touch-screen 3D digital model and talk with our team.
An overview of how the interactive map works
New CEO and investor for Star of the South
This month we had two big announcements to share.
Charles Rattray was appointed as our new Chief Executive Officer. Our team had the opportunity to meet him in the office for a cuppa, but he won’t officially start in the role until August. We look forward to welcoming him then.
Cbus Super acquired a 10% interest in Star of the South. Cbus is one of Australia’s first superannuation funds and is the largest industry fund for the building, construction and allied industries with more than 850,000 members. It’s exciting to have Cbus onboard.
Charles (7th from left) met our team earlier this month
Career Fairs
We’re attending school career fairs across Gippsland in June and July, as students consider future study and jobs.
This month we visited Morwell and Foster to talk with students and parents about what jobs in an offshore wind industry could be like. We really enjoyed hearing about students’ interests in renewable energy and answering their questions about how offshore wind works.
In July we’ll be at Sale and the Jobs Skills Expo in Warragul. We look forward to chatting with more students, teachers and parents and inspiring the next generation of Gippsland energy workers.
If you see us there, please come and say hello!
Ground investigations near completion – with help from a local business
Did you know that a Gippsland business – Kiernan Plant Hire – played an important role in ground investigations along our proposed transmission route?
Two members of the Kiernan Plant Hire team spent 10 weeks digging around 100 ‘test pits’ so that soil and rock conditions could be investigated. Results will inform how our underground cable system is designed and constructed.
Kiernan Plant Hire is owned and operated by Mark and Jess Kiernan, who employ a growing team of thirteen. “Star of the South is the biggest project we’ve worked on in Gippsland. We love living and working in Gippsland, not only for the diverse scenery and activities but because of the welcoming people”, Jess said.
Ground investigations are due to be completed in July.
We prioritise working with Gippsland businesses. If you’re a local business interested in working on Star of the South, register your details on our ICN Gateway so we can keep you informed about future opportunities.
Kiernan Plant Hire backhoe digging a test pit along our transmission route
Community Advisory Group takes site visit
Our Community Advisory Group hit the road for a site visit, taking in Port Albert, Yarram, McLoughlins Beach, Reeves Beach and Giffard West.
We all got to hear about local communities from the people who live there and the group learned more about how and where the project could be constructed.
Take a look at the video below for a snapshot of the trip.
The Community Advisory Group is made up of Gippsland locals who volunteer their time to learn about the project and offshore wind, bring a local perspective to the Star of the South team, and share project updates with their communities. Their contribution is so important and adds a lot of value to the ongoing development of Australia's first offshore wind project.
Find out who sits on the Community Advisory Group and view meeting minutes, agendas, and presentations on our website. To get in touch with a member of the group, email info@starofthesouth.com.au or call 1800 340 340 and we'll connect you.
Thanks to Gippsland business Nanoo Nanoo for capturing the day out and creating this video for us.