Did you know that Google has chosen Maroubra as the landing point for two major international subsea internet cables, Tabua and Honomoana, which will connect Australia with the United States, Fiji, French Polynesia and New Zealand? The infrastructure will provide critical backup and expanding connectivity options outside of Sydney’s already crowded cable protection zones.
Demand Drives Change
The proposal, submitted by Google through its licensed carrier Perch Infrastructure, was sparked by mounting congestion in Sydney’s northern and southern cable landing zones. According to the company’s submission to New South Wales planning authorities, twelve subsea cables already land in these areas, six in the southern zone alone, pushing the infrastructure close to capacity. Google is seeking permission not only to land the cables at Maroubra but also to extend the official southern cable protection zone boundary to include this new site. See the EIS Scoping Report here.
Photo Credit: EIS Scoping Report
The planned landing point will be about one kilometre offshore, where the cables will either be buried beneath the seabed or laid on it, depending on environmental and technical considerations. From there, the cables will stretch out to the edge of New South Wales’ coastal waters, which extend 5.56 kilometres from the shoreline.
Community, Capacity and Connectivity
While the initiative is backed by one of the world’s largest tech companies, the impact is being felt on a local level.
A recent community event at Maroubra Beach marked the beginning of the Sydney section of the cable build, attended by stakeholders including Randwick City Council, UGL, UEA, and members of the La Perouse Aboriginal community. Local contractors such as UEA Group have been tapped to handle the initial construction, supporting regional employment and economic activity.
This isn’t the first time Maroubra has been part of a significant digital infrastructure project. The area previously saw activity during the PPC-1 cable landing over a decade ago. In comparison, the new cables are expected to carry a far greater data capacity, up to 400 terabits per second, highlighting how much internet technology has advanced in just 15 years.
Preparing for the Future
Google’s broader project, known as the Pacific Connect Initiative, reflects rising internet demand across the Indo-Pacific region and the growing need for system redundancy. By using Maroubra as a landing point, the company aims to relieve pressure on existing zones while ensuring that Australia’s international internet links remain resilient and future-ready.
The final decision on the proposal rests with NSW planning authorities and the Australian Communications and Media Authority. If approved, Maroubra could soon become a key node in Australia’s digital network, linking the community directly to global communication routes.
Based on the EIS Scoping Report, construction of the project would take approximately 20 days (10 days per segment) within NSW coastal waters and is estimated to commence in December 2025.
Published 24-April-2025
