Today, we’re excited to officially launch the Sydney to Melbourne coastal route of our new fibre backbone – the Aura Network.
When I set foot in Kalgoorlie in my first few weeks as InfraCo’s new CEO, I was struck by the sheer scale of our country and the ambition of what we’re building. Watching our teams lay fibre through remote farmland, across rocky ridges, and alongside country roads, I saw firsthand how this network is more than just cables in the ground. We’re stitching together the digital fabric of Australia’s connectivity for generations to come.
Today, we’re excited to officially launch the Sydney to Melbourne coastal route of our new fibre backbone – the Aura Network.
Global network traffic is predicted to grow by five to nine times by 2033, driven by the explosion of AI, cloud, and data-driven services. The Aura Network is designed to address these demands, with simulated speeds of up to 83.6 terabits per second over 1,200 kilometres. Based on conservative real-world estimates, this represents up to 35 times1 more capacity per path than standard carrier networks.
This isn’t just another infrastructure project. It’s a critical milestone in Telstra’s $1.6 billion investment to power Australia’s digital future – connecting our two largest cities with record-breaking speed, scale, and reliability.
This network is about unlocking opportunity. An independent Oxford Economics report projects that the Aura Network could add $29 billion to Australia’s GDP by the end of the 2040 financial year and enable 84,000 extra jobs across the economy.
What also really excites me is how this network reaches beyond the capitals. Our foundation path provides “on and off ramps” into regional and remote communities, opening up new possibilities for local businesses, schools, hospitals, and farms, with around $5 billion of the predicted GDP uplift flowing directly to regional Australia.
We know these new opportunities will help to transform lives and Aussie communities – whether it’s a farmer using real-time data from IoT sensors to boost yields, a regional hospital delivering virtual care, or a local school tapping into world-class digital resources.
Previously called the Intercity Fibre Network, we took a step back and reflected on the possibilities this infrastructure unlocks – not just in our cities, but for regional communities as well. We wanted a name that truly captured the scale and impact of what we’re building.
Just like an aura, our network has the ability to surround and connect, and stretch across Australia forming a luminous pathway that can link communities from coast to coast.
Our network already spans more than 5,000 kilometres, and over the next few years it will extend to nearly 14,000 kilometres across Australia. This remarkable reach opens up a world of opportunities for our customers.
As a foundation partner on our Aura Network, Microsoft will use our high-capacity, resilient, low-latency routes to deliver cutting-edge AI services to our customers. Speaking with the team recently, work is already underway to use the network to accelerate innovation and support the growth of Azure and AI workloads nationwide.
To make the most of this new era of connectivity, we’ve developed three distinct network products – giving customers the choice and flexibility to use the network in the way that best suits their needs. They include:
Dark Fibre: For those who want total control and the highest capacity to move data at up to 83.6 Tbps between capitals, with options for regional access.
Direct Spectrum: Offering scalable bandwidth (3.8–15.2 Tbps) with “bring your own equipment” flexibility.
Wavelength: Fully managed, high-capacity point-to-point connectivity (100 Gbps and 400 Gbps), so you don’t need to invest in heavy infrastructure.
We’re excited to be working side by side with customers from every corner of the economy – large enterprises, government agencies, hyperscalers, and telcos – to provide the connectivity that will power the innovations of tomorrow.
The possibilities this network unlocks are truly inspiring, and we can’t wait to see what our customers will achieve: from building smarter cities and enabling next-generation healthcare, to driving breakthroughs in AI, cloud, and digital services.
With the Aura Network as their foundation, our customers are set to shape Australia’s digital future in ways we’re only just beginning to imagine.
