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A shoreline renewable energy zone is proposed between the Gippsland coast and South Gippsland Highway as part of the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan.
This zone is not designed to host onshore wind or solar projects.
Instead it is a limited area where offshore wind developers will need to locate infrastructure such as underground cables to connect offshore wind farms to the grid.
Before being officially declared by the Minister for Energy and Resources, there will be a further chance to provide your feedback. For more information, visit Engage Victoria.
Where is the zone?
The proposed Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone is located in the region's south, near the towns of Woodside and Giffard, and between the coastline and the South Gippsland Highway. It is within the boundaries of the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation and the Wellington Shire local government area.
The proposed location has been developed as part of our work to identify a study area for the Gippsland offshore wind transmission stage 1 project, and in consultation with prospective offshore wind developers.
There will be designated areas within the zone where offshore wind export cables are allowed to cross the shore.
VicGrid is coordinating further work to identify suitable shore crossing locations for offshore wind projects, which will facilitate greater protection of environmentally and culturally sensitive areas along the coast.
How feedback shaped the zone
Community and industry views have been crucial to the design of the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan.
VicGrid's role is to balance the need for new renewable projects that will deliver reliable and affordable power with a range of other factors, including how we minimise impacts on landholders, communities, agriculture, the environment and power bills.
Not all community or industry requests have been adopted.
The Victorian Transmission Plan reflects difficult choices, made by weighing up many factors to deliver a plan that best serves all Victorians.
What we heard through feedback
- Mixed feedback from different stakeholder groups on the size of the proposed Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone. Some called for a reduction in the size of the zone to minimise impacts on community and landholders while others called for an increase to allow greater flexibility for determining onshore cable routes for offshore wind development.
- Requests to ensure the Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone captured the full extent of feasible shore crossing areas.
- Concerns raised about the management of overlapping onshore cable corridors within the Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone, particularly with the proposed staging of connection hub infrastructure build out in the Giffard, and then subsequently, Woodside areas.
- Concerns over the proximity of the proposed zone to key ecological and culturally sensitive sites such as Ramsar wetlands and other coastal reserves.
- Requests to expand the zone to include viable onshore wind areas near Giffard and Darriman.
What we did
We made minor amendments to the boundaries of the Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone, particularly along the coastline, to ensure that all feasible shore crossing areas are contained within the boundaries of the zone. This provides offshore wind developers with the opportunity to fully explore the range of appropriate potential shore crossing sites.
To find out more, read the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan Gippsland summary.
Next steps
Communities within proposed renewable energy zones can continue to provide feedback and seek more information about renewable energy zones, including through face-to-face meetings with VicGrid.
We will invite formal feedback about the proposed Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone as part of the official declaration process.
There will be 6 weeks of consultation which will give landholders, communities and Traditional Owners another opportunity to provide feedback and shape decision-making. The timing for this will be announced in the coming weeks.
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Call us on 1800 418 341 or email vicgrid@deeca.vic.gov.au
Page last updated: 17/08/25