Torquay cable works completed

MAJOR works on the SMAP submarine cable project have wrapped up in Torquay, marking the completion of a key stage in Australia’s new 5,000km fibre-optic network.

The project will ultimately connect Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, strengthening national internet capacity and reliability as demand for data continues to grow.

Torquay is one of only two Victorian landing sites, with crews completing complex horizontal drilling beneath the seabed at Point Danger and Elephant Walk to bring the cable ashore.

A new landing station has also been built at Baines Crescent to link the undersea network to land-based infrastructure.

SUBCO, the company behind the project, said Torquay’s terrain made it one of the most technically challenging parts of the build.

The final marine cable connection is expected to be laid later this year, ahead of the full system’s completion in early 2026.

Earlier in the year, poor communication around the fenced-off sites at Point Danger and Elephant Walk prompted widespread speculation about the “mystery works”, with rumours ranging from a new skate park to a marina.

Businesses near Baines Crescent said the works hurt trade, with car parks blocked, roads damaged and little information about timelines or restoration.

Some businesses contacted this masthead claiming key consultation steps were skipped and describing the project as “a total s*** show, a complete mess, basically cowboy stuff.”

A planned meeting between business owners and SUBCO representatives in July was cancelled after the company was told a representative of this newspaper would be present and compensation claims were being raised.

Crews have since begun reinstatement works to restore pathways, vegetation and beach access at the Point Danger and Elephant Walk sites.