New subsea data cable lands in Maroochydore
The Sunshine Coast has achieved a significant digital connectivity milestone with the successful landing of the Tabua international submarine cable at Maroochydore. This infrastructure investment is set to bring faster, more reliable internet to local residents, businesses, and the broader Pacific region, reinforcing the Sunshine Coast's position as a digital gateway to the world.
The Tabua cable, part of the Australia Connect initiative, creates the first direct subsea cable connection between Australia and the United States that is diverse from the traditional route through Sydney. The new international cable will connect Queensland through the Pacific and on to the United States via high-speed and secure subsea cable infrastructure. The cable is also planned to land in Sydney, Fiji, and Hawaii.
The successful landing operation was delivered by a specialised vessel following an offshore operation involving excavators, winches, boats, and divers. The infrastructure is supported locally by NEXTDC’s SC1 data centre and the SC2 data centre currently under construction in the Maroochydore City Centre. Google is now a partner and actively investing in Queensland and the Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli celebrated the cable landing, noting that these investments are designed to secure long-term economic growth and digital resilience for the region, Queensland, and Australia.
The Tabua cable offers several key, consolidated benefits for the local community and economy:
- Enhanced Connectivity and Resilience: The landing provides enhanced resilience through diverse landing points, particularly Queensland's Sunshine Coast, offering network providers like Vocus new options for international connectivity.
- Faster Digital Life for Residents: Residents will experience faster and more reliable internet for everyday use, including streaming, working from home, online learning, and using services like Google Maps.
- Business Competitiveness and Digital Trade: It enables more reliable connectivity for business operations like cloud services and data transfer, including supporting modern AI systems. Businesses will gain access to more options for international bandwidth, improving their competitiveness and enabling Australian digital exports to regional markets.
New Investment and Innovation: The project is expected to unlock new investment opportunities in tech, data centres, and smart city development, further strengthening the region’s reputation as an innovation hub and positioning it as a digital hub in the Indo-Pacific.
