Proponents plan multi‑billion‑dollar AI training centre near Broome, aim for 2032 opening
A multi-billion-dollar plan to build what proponents say would be Australia’s biggest artificial intelligence training data centre has been proposed for Western Australia’s remote north, with a staged “AI factory” slated for Karajarri country south of Broome and a projected opening in 2032.
The facility, about 2,000 kilometres north of Perth, would run on renewable energy and is intended to support training of large AI models such as those behind services like ChatGPT. Similar large-scale training facilities are used by global tech companies.
The company behind the proposal says it will advance environmental studies in the coming months before referring the project to Western Australia’s environmental watchdog for assessment. Gingerah Energy, the joint venture proponent, said the development would begin with 240 megawatts of IT capacity and scale significantly.
“Eventually, the project will be four times larger than that,” chief executive Jop van Hattum said, adding the selected site allows for a 1 gigawatt IT facility. Australia hosts more than 250 data centres, typically ranging from five to 10 megawatts, according to the WA Climate Council.
Van Hattum said the proposed Kimberley complex would be built at a much larger scale and configured for training large language models used by services including ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot. He said potential domestic customers could include mining companies seeking AI training capabilities.
Internationally, he cited interest from Singapore-based firms, noting Western Australia’s geographic proximity and the ability to transmit data quickly via fibre optic cable. “That’s important, because companies want information in real time,” he said. The proponent is a joint venture between the Karajarri Traditional Lands Association (KTLA), Dutch geodata company Fugro, and Australian geoscience firm Longreach Capital Investment.
Gingerah Energy’s Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the Karajarri People covers more than 30,000 square kilometres, with about 275 square kilometres designated for proposed development. KTLA chairperson Thomas King said it was rare for traditional owners to co-own a project of this scale.
Project timelines remain subject to approvals. The company plans to complete further environmental work and then seek assessment by the state’s environmental regulator, with staged construction proposed ahead of the target opening in 2032.