The Port of Hastings Corporation has submitted a new environmental referral to the Australian Government for its proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal, marking a key step in progressing the project within the Western Port Ramsar Wetland.
The referral, made under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999, was formally lodged this week and is now open for public comment for 10 business days via the EPBC Act Public Portal.
Located within the ecologically significant Western Port Ramsar Wetland, the terminal proposal requires Commonwealth environmental assessment and approvals before any works can commence.
According to the Port of Hastings Corporation, the revised EPBC referral reflects feedback received from the Australian Government in 2023 and incorporates major changes to the original plan. These include “significant reductions” in dredging and land reclamation activities compared to the previous submission.
“We have undertaken preliminary environmental assessments, technical studies and design work to help inform our new referral,” the Corporation stated in their latest update. “The updated referral is supported by scientific evidence confirming that project impacts investigated to date are localised and manageable.”
The terminal is intended to support Victoria’s offshore wind energy industry, providing essential infrastructure for turbine assembly, storage and transportation. However, environmental concerns, particularly regarding the Ramsar-listed wetlands, have been a focal point for both federal scrutiny and community interest.
The Port of Hastings Corporation said it welcomes public feedback and encouraged community members to review the updated plans via its project website.
The public consultation period for the EPBC referral will close after 10 business days from publication on the portal.
Technical roundtable sessions
The Port of Hastings is continuing our technical roundtable sessions in July 2025 for the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal, connecting the community with our project team and specialists preparing technical studies for the Environment Effects Statement (EES).
Each session will feature presentations from the technical specialists undertaking the assessments, followed by roundtable discussions where you can ask questions, share feedback, and engage directly with both the technical specialists and the project team.
