Project update - March 2023
31 March 2023
Thanks for supporting us!
Thank you to the 1,000 people who have officially signed up as Star of the South supporters so far.
Hearing what Star of the South means to you is a great motivator for our team and will help boost our application to the Australian Government for a Feasibility Licence. This licence is needed for work on the project to continue.
It was great to hear the stories of passionate Gippslanders who want Star of the South to proceed at get-togethers in Yarram and Morwell this week.
Sign up as a supporter to get behind the project and help shape the future you want for Gippsland.
Showing support for Star of the South in Morwell
Surveying whales from the air
We’re taking to the sky to spot whales with fortnightly aerial surveys for the next five months.
The surveys will collect information about which species are present, their location and behaviour, adding to two-years of data already collected on whale movements in the Star of the South exploration area.
An experienced marine mammal observer will identify the animals from a light plane that can fly as low as 300 m to take photos and see what’s below.
Some whales can swim underwater for up to 90 minutes while moving great distances. Aerial surveys allow us to cover a large area in a small amount of time, making this the most effective method for finding and identifying whales under water.
Findings will be shared in early 2024. These investigations are co-funded with the Victorian Government through the Energy Innovation Fund.
New opportunities for power workers
As coal power stations in the Latrobe Valley ramp down and retire, Victoria’s offshore wind industry will be ramping up – continuing energy jobs in Gippsland for decades to come.
We recently took part in a session with workers from Energy Australia’s Yallourn Power Station, sharing insights about the offshore wind industry and job opportunities.
Our Regional Engagement Manager Paul gave an overview of the project, Lara from offshore energy and marine recruitment specialists Atlas Professionals spoke about typical jobs and skills to work in the industry and Bill from Federation University discussed local training.
Thanks to the team at Energy Australia for having us.
Bill from Federation University (left), Paul from Star of the South (centre), and Lara from Atlas Professionals (right) at Yallourn Power Station
Victoria takes next step with offshore wind
Victoria’s offshore wind industry took another step forward this month, with the release of Offshore Wind Implementation Statement 2.
We welcome this update which provides more clarity on how the Victorian Government plans to develop a local offshore wind industry – leading Australia to deliver at least 2GW by 2032, building up to 9GW by 2040.
Key updates in the strategy cover:
Ports
Transmission
Policy, workforce and industry development
Competitive procurement
Legislation and regulation
This release is timely and a positive development for the industry, so we can bring the right power online and create new energy jobs in Gippsland at the right time.
Meeting new faces across Gippsland
Gippsland Jobs Expo events in Leongatha and Morwell gave us the opportunity to meet job seekers and talk about what jobs in offshore wind are like. We had some great discussions with locals who are keen to get involved in the project’s construction when the time comes.
We also welcomed many visitors keen to learn about the project to our Gippsland office, including:
70 members of the Maroondah Bushwalking Club
The Women on Farms group
Lavalla Catholic College Year 12 students
Thanks for dropping in!
If you’re part of a local group and would like to learn more about offshore wind, get in touch with our Gippsland team on 1800 340 340.
The Gippsland Jobs Expo in Leongatha