Victoria will soon be directly connected to the world's global communications network for the first time.
The Allan Labor Government has secured the state's first major subsea fibre optic cable to help power our data centres and boost our disaster resilience.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Government Services Natalie Hutchins today joined SUBCO CEO Bevan Slattery at Docklands to officially welcome the arrival of the world's largest data-cable ship Ile d'Yeu to Victoria.
SUBCO, an Australian-owned telecommunications company, will lay and build more than 5,000 kilometres of fibre infrastructure, both undersea and on land, as part of the new Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth (SMAP) system.
Ile d'Yeu will take the fibre cable - which is about the diameter of a 50 cent piece - and lay it on the sea floor.
The SMAP system will connect Australia's east and west coasts through Victoria and link directly to key international markets including the United States, Singapore and India, providing a total data transfer capacity of 400 terabits per second.
That's the equivalent of downloading 50,000 films a second.
The system will support critical infrastructure including data centres which are the foundation of new technologies such as AI and cloud services.
It will also strengthen vital services - including transport, emergency operations, and government communications - during major natural disasters by reducing reliance on existing fibre routes.
As part of the project, the Government is supporting SUBCO to establish two new subsea cable landings in Torquay.
The Government is also supporting SUBCO to partner with VicTrack to construct a new fibre network along the Melbourne-Geelong rail corridor.
This new fibre network will connect Geelong to Melbourne's CBD, boosting V/Line's operational capacity and delivering benefits for commuters across the rapidly growing Geelong region.
Together, these upgrades strengthen Victoria's position as a leading destination for data centre investment and digital technology innovation - allowing businesses across the state to transmit data faster and more securely.
Victoria's digital technology sector already contributes more than $34 billion to the economy and supports more than 306,000 workers - representing 30 per cent of Australia's tech workforce.
SUBCO is investing more than $500 million to deliver the project, while the Labor Government is contributing $4 million toward the Melbourne-Geelong rail corridor link.
Construction of the new fibre network along the Melbourne-Geelong Corridor is now underway and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"This is a jobs pipeline running under the sea."
"Victoria will be plugged directly into the global economy, powering our data centres and keeping our systems up and running during natural disasters."
As stated by Minister for Government Services Natalie Hutchins
"Connectivity underpins every part of our economy and community life - this partnership sets Victoria up for reliable connections for decades to come."
As stated by Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams
"The new fibre optic link along the Melbourne - Geelong rail corridor will be owned by VicTrack and improve the reliability of the V/Line network."
As stated by Acting Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Colin Brooks
"This major upgrade will strengthen Victoria's globally competitive tech sector by attracting increased investment in critical digital infrastructure - creating highly skilled jobs and fueling economic growth."
As stated by SUBCO Chief Executive Officer Bevan Slattery
"This partnership is a great example of how the public and private sectors can work together to deliver lasting benefits for Victoria and its people."
"This investment will deliver significant dividends for the state - not only through this subsea system, but through future connections that will directly link the state to the rest of the world."
