Victoria has taken a major step in strengthening its digital infrastructure with a new subsea fibre link connecting the state directly to the world’s global communications networks for the first time. The link can transfer massive volumes of data at lightning speed.
For investors, this isn’t just about connectivity — it’s about positioning the state as a prime location for technology-driven businesses, data centres, and enterprises that rely on secure, high-capacity global networks. This upgrade opens doors to faster growth, reduced operational risk, and greater access to international markets.
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.
Invest Victoria worked closely with SUBCO for several years to support the SMAP project and to establish Victoria’s very first cable landing station in Torquay.
Ile d’Yeu, the world’s largest telecommunications cable laying ship,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 - equivalent of downloading 50,000 films a second.
This system will support critical infrastructure, including data centres that underpin emerging 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.
Invest Victoria’s facilitation support helped guide the project’s development from planning to implementation - included building relationships with key local stakeholders such as councils and community groups, navigating state planning and approval requirements, identifying strategic sites, advising on land and zoning matters and connecting SUBCO to VicTrack for the critical overland stretch.
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, boosting V/Line’s operational capacity and delivering benefits for commuters across the rapidly growing Geelong region. It will also bring the benefits of the state-of-the-art subsea cable right through to Melbourne.
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 Victorian 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.
