October 9, 2025
The Port of Hastings will be hosting two community information sessions in October regarding the proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal.
About the Project
The Port of Hastings has been selected by the Victorian Government as the preferred location for the establishment of the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal – to support the development of offshore wind farms along the Victorian coast.
The site is situated within the Port of Hastings. It is located to the southeast of Melbourne, approximately 72 km from the Melbourne Central Business District (CBD), and 2.6 km northeast of the centre of Hastings. The Terminal is proposed to be situated between BlueScope’s steel manufacturing plant and Esso’s Long Island Point fractionation plant, at the Old Tyabb Reclamation Area (OTRA), and the adjoining Western Port Bay.
The project was initially proposed back in 2023 as a base to “support the construction of Victoria’s first offshore wind farms” at the Port of Hastings. At the start of 2024, former Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, rejected the proposal.
The Port of Hastings Corporation have now refined the proposal, considering the concerns that were raised in 2023.
Victorian Environment Effects Statement (EES)
An Environment Effects Statement (EES) is an environmental impact assessment process in Victoria. The EES process is administered by the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) on behalf of Victoria’s Minister for Planning under the Environment Effects Act 1978. For more information on an overview of processes under the Environment Effects Act, click here.
The Port of Hastings team are currently preparing the Environment Effects Statement (EES) for the proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal project. Through this process, the Port of Hastings will have ongoing engagement to inform the community and stakeholders as the project progresses.
Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC)
A referral has been lodged to the Australian Government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. This was open to public consultation earlier this year.
As the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal is proposed within the Western Port Ramsar Wetland, this referral is a necessary step for the project to confirm Commonwealth environmental assessment and approvals required for the project to proceed.
For more information on Commonwealth approvals, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EBPC) Act, click here.
Community Information Sessions
In October 2025, the Port of Hastings will be hosting another round of community roundtable sessions in so the community can connect with the project team as they prepare for the Environmental Effects Statement (EES).
Attend the sessions to:
- Hear an update on the project design and assessment processes underway
- Learn about the onshore noise, traffic and greenhouse gas assessment studies from the technical experts
- Ask questions and give your feedback in roundtable discussions with the Port of Hastings team and technical experts
| Hastings Roundtable | Online Roundtable |
| Tuesday, 28 October 6pm – 9pm Sanctuary Inn on Westernport 126 Marine Parade, Hastings Bookings here | Thursday, 30 October 7pm – 9pm Register here |
Public site tours
Port of Hastings Corporation is planning to host future public site tours of the proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal. The tours will include a guided walking tour of the Old Tyabb Reclamation Area, the location of the proposed Terminal.
Port of Hastings have opened an Expression of Interest – Community Site Tour form to register your interest in attending the community site visit.
Past Community Engagement
In June and July 2025, the Port of Hastings team held four community roundtable sessions – two in Hastings, one in Cowes, and another in Flinders.
The various engagement sessions featured presentations from technical specialists, followed by roundtable discussions where attendees had the chance to ask questions, share feedback, and directly engage with both the technical and project teams.
In total, 114 people attended the in-person sessions, with over 400 questions and pieces of feedback provided across a range of topics, including:
- Project overview and design
- Assessments
- Construction
- Social and economic benefits
- Marine ecology and dredging
- Waterbirds and onshore ecology
- Visual amenity
- Operational impacts
All of the feedback captured is passed on to technical specialists for consideration in the Environment Effects Statement (EES).
Two online webinars were also hosted in June and July, providing an update on the project, including a live Q&A.
- The June webinar featured technical presentations on coastal processes, onshore ecology and visual amenity. View the June webinar here.
- The July webinar features technical presentations on marine ecology and waterbirds. View the July webinar here.
More Information
View the resources below to find out more:
- Project website: Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal
- Past consultation information via Engage Victoria here: Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal EES Scoping Requirements
Contact the Port of Hastings
There are several ways you can contact the Port of Hastings including:
- phone: 03 5979 5500
- email: [email protected]
