Google’s Australia Connect will require critical landing infrastructure

Google Cloud has announced 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, Google is 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.

Resilient and reliable

“The Australian Government welcomes the announcement of the Australia Connect initiative by Google and its partners,” Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said.

“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.”

Exciting partnership

SUBCO will partner with Google to develop new subsea cable landing infrastructure for the project.

Together, SUBCO and Google will collaborate on building coordinated cable landing infrastructure in Maroubra, NSW, and Torquay, VIC as well as new infrastructure that connects these locations back to the respective parties’ cable landing stations.

This infrastructure will support SUBCO’s transcontinental submarine cable system connecting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth (SMAP) and Google’s upcoming transpacific cable systems, Tabua and Honomoana.

“We are excited to partner with Google on the expansion of subsea infrastructure in Australia,” Co-CEO of Soda Infrastructure/SUBCO Belle Lajoie said.

“This collaboration allows both parties to harness shared infrastructure, enhancing resilience, speeding up project delivery, and minimising 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, Melbourne, and beyond – strengthening connectivity across the region.”

Digital pathways

“We look forward to collaborating with SUBCO, a key partner for Australia Connect, to deliver new digital pathways for Australia and enhance the reliability and resilience of the internet within the country and throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” Google Cloud’s VP for Global Network Infrastructure Brian Quigley said.

“This partnership is a demonstration of considerable investment in Australian digital infrastructure, while ensuring minimal visual or environmental impact on the local community.”