GCP – Australia Connect initiative delivers new digital pathways for the Indo-Pacific

Today, we’re announcing the Australia Connect initiative to further the reach, reliability, and resilience of digital connectivity in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region. This investment will deliver new subsea cable systems and build on the Pacific Connect initiative. 

The Bosun subsea cable will connect Darwin, Australia to Christmas Island, which has onward connectivity to Singapore. The name, Bosun, refers to both the White-tailed Tropicbird — the iconic bird of Christmas Island — and the nautical term for a ship’s lead deckhand. Additionally, a new interlink cable will connect Melbourne, Perth, and Christmas Island. In Melbourne, the interlink cable will connect to the Honomoana cable system, part of the Pacific Connect initiative, creating a new interconnection point for services from the U.S. to Asia. 

Once operational, Bosun and the interlink cable will deliver new digital pathways for Australia, enhancing the reliability and resilience of the Internet within the country and throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

In addition to the Bosun subsea cable system, we’re working with partners like Vocus to deliver terrestrial fiber pairs that connect Darwin to the Sunshine Coast, connecting Bosun with the Tabua subsea cable system that connects the United States and Australia to Fiji.

The Australia Connect initiative is a collaborative effort involving Google and several key partners, including: NEXTDC, SUBCO, Vocus, along with state and local governments in Darwin, Perth, and the Sunshine Coast.

Michelle Rowland, MP, Minister for Communications, Australia: “The Australian Government welcomes the announcement of the Australia Connect initiative by Google and its partners. These new cable systems will not only expand and strengthen the resilience of Australia’s own digital connectivity through new and diversified routes, but will also complement the Government’s active work with industry and government partners to support secure, resilient and reliable connectivity across the Pacific.”

Craig Scroggie, CEO & Managing Director, NEXTDC: “Submarine cables are the critical, often unseen lifelines linking Australia to the global digital ecosystem. We’re proud to be working in partnership with Google in establishing cable landing stations in Darwin, the Sunshine Coast, and Melbourne. These investments across our national data center network will improve every customer’s experience by boosting data speeds, enhancing reliability and redundancy, and strengthening cybersecurity across Australia and the Indo-Pacific.” 

Belle Lajoie, Co-CEO, Soda Infrastructure/SUBCO: “We are excited to partner with Google as they expand their subsea infrastructure in Australia. This collaboration allows both parties to harness shared infrastructure, enhancing resiliency, speeding up project delivery, and minimizing environmental and community impact. Together, we’re delivering vital subsea connectivity to Australia’s major cities and establishing new, robust subsea cable routes between Sydney and Melbourne, strengthening connectivity across the region.” 

Rosanna Natoli, Mayor, Sunshine Coast: “We are excited to partner with Google and NEXTDC on this project, to help improve digital resilience here, across the country and the Indo-Pacific. Investing in digital infrastructure is helping to develop a connected, thriving and tech-ready future for the Sunshine Coast and beyond.”

Jarrod Nink, Interim CEO, Vocus: “Vocus is thrilled to have the opportunity to deepen our strategic network partnership with Google, and to play a part in establishing critical digital infrastructure for our region. Australia Connect will bolster our nation’s strategic position as a vital gateway between Asia and the United States by connecting key nodes located in Australia’s East, West, and North to global digital markets. Australia Connect will create a low latency, secure, and stable network architecture while providing added reliability for Google, our customers, and partners.”

Google is deeply committed to building a strong digital future for all Australians. In 2021, we launched the Digital Future Initiative, a $1 billion AU$, five-year initiative that builds on our long-term commitment to infrastructure, local partnerships, and research capabilities. Analysys Mason estimates Google’s previous submarine cable deployments in Australia will lead to a cumulative increase in GDP of $98.5 billion AU$ ($64 billion US$) between 2022 and 2026 and support the creation of around 68,000 additional jobs by 2027.

We look forward to sharing more as we work closely with our partners in Australia and the Indo-Pacific.