One of the largest marine environmental datasets collected in Bass Strait is now helping scientists better understand the region’s marine life.
Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project, Star of the South, is sharing data from years of environmental studies with research organisations including CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and Deakin University.
Between 2020 and 2024, Star of the South undertook one of the biggest research programs of its kind in Bass Strait to understand the local environment and inform the design and assessment of the proposed offshore wind project.
More than 50,000 observations were recorded across more than 13,000 survey hours, building a detailed picture of fish, birds, whales, seabed habitats and coastal processes in the area.
Star of the South Chief Executive Officer, Charles Rattray, said the research will leave a valuable scientific legacy.
“Developing offshore wind requires us to understand the marine environment in enormous detail, and that creates a body of knowledge with value well beyond the project itself. We want to make the most of that by putting our data in the hands of researchers who can use it to build knowledge, inform conservation and help answer new questions about Bass Strait,” Mr Rattray said.
CSIRO is undertaking a cumulative impact assessment to understand the potential effects of multiple offshore wind projects in Bass Strait.
Keith Hayes, Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO, said Star of the South’s data was being used alongside other datasets to analyse scenarios, assess cumulative risks, test monitoring strategies and support conservation management.
“This data has improved our understanding of how threatened and migratory species use waters around the Gippsland offshore wind area. Combined with data from other industry, government and citizen science sources, it is helping the National Environmental Science Program’s Marine and Coastal Hub build a clearer picture of where these species are found — and predict how they may interact with new and existing activities in Bass Strait as the region’s climate changes,” Mr Hayes said.
Deakin University is using more than 15,800 individual fish observations to understand how fish communities vary across habitats, depths and seasons.
Professor Daniel Ierodiaconou from Deakin University and steering committee member for the Australian Centre for Offshore Wind Energy (ACOWE) said the datasets provide valuable baseline information about biodiversity in Bass Strait.
“As interest and activity in Bass Strait continues to grow, long-term, high-quality environmental data will be critical for detecting change and supporting evidence-based decisions. Working with industry partners creates opportunities to build datasets that can support many research questions well beyond an individual project,” Professor Ierodiaconou said.
Star of the South is continuing discussions with research organisations on further opportunities to share data and support continued research in Bass Strait.
