VicGrid has released the corridor and draft preferred route for the transmission to connect offshore wind energy from Gippsland to the electricity grid, which will help power Victoria with reliable and affordable energy.
VicGrid has been consulting with landholders, Traditional Owners and local communities for over 18 months as it plans this infrastructure and the draft preferred route will give landholders greater clarity about where the transmission line will be located.
Following the release of a broader study area last year, VicGrid has now identified a corridor and a draft preferred route that runs from near Giffard, northwest past Stradbroke, west to Willung, across to Flynns Creek and into the Loy Yang Power Station.
The corridor is a broader area identified for potential transmission alignment. The draft preferred route is a narrower section within the corridor where the transmission line could be located. It is not final, but provides a focus for more detailed technical investigations and consultation.
The refinement has been informed by ongoing feedback from landholders and key stakeholders as well as environmental and technical studies. Landholders wanted more certainty and asked us to avoid homes and small blocks, protect high-value environmental areas, prioritise the use of public or plantation land and align with existing infrastructure. VicGrid has tried to balance these factors based on information currently available and will undertake further consultation on the draft preferred route before it is finalised.
We have responded to feedback with a refined area that reduces impacted privately owned land parcels from 56 to 24 and minimises impacts to important environmental areas such as the Giffard (Rifle Range) Flora Reserve and Mullungdung State Forest. We have sought to avoid homes and to co-locate near existing infrastructure, like Basslink and the Saline Wastewater Outfall Pipeline, where possible.
The proposed terminal station area near Giffard has also been refined to avoid locations close to dwellings, incompatible land uses, and areas of sensitive biodiversity.
The Victorian Government is working to make sure locals get real benefits, by introducing new community energy funds to improve local energy outcomes, landholder payments, neighbour payments and Traditional Owner funds.
VicGrid Chief Executive Alistair Parker said landholder input was instrumental in refining the study area.
'We’ve had really valuable input from locals about their properties, their farming practices and sensitive areas to avoid,' he said.
'On a project like this, local insights play a crucial role in narrowing down the areas that are more suitable to host infrastructure and helping us minimise the impacts on local properties, farming operations and the environment.'
'We want to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their local knowledge and we look forward to continuing those conversations as we keep refining the design of this infrastructure.'
Over the coming months, VicGrid will keep refining the draft preferred route in consultation with landholders and technical experts with an intent to finalise the route in early 2026.
'Our team will be reaching out to landholders in the corridor so we can better understand important values on their properties and help refine the route for this infrastructure,' Mr Parker said.
People can find more information about the corridor, the draft preferred route, and the next steps for Offshore Wind Transmission in Victoria on Engage Victoria.
For media enquiries, please email media@vicgrid.com.au.
Page last updated: 31/10/25