Anthropic has signed its first data centre lease agreement in Australia, securing capacity at a planned 2.16-gigawatt (GW) data centre campus in Queensland as the artificial intelligence company expands its computing infrastructure outside the United States.
The facility will be built at the Western Downs Digital Park near Dalby, about 250 kilometres from Brisbane. The project is being developed by Singapore-based Zerra DC and is expected to begin operations in 2027.
The wider data centre project is valued at about A$31.9 billion, making it one of the largest planned data centre developments in Australia. Anthropic’s agreement covers the first major tenant capacity at the site.
Anthropic Secures 2.16 GW Of Computing Capacity
The planned campus will have a total capacity of around 2.16 GW, putting it among the largest data centre projects announced in Australia.
For comparison, Australia currently has about 1.6 GW of data centre capacity, according to Data Centres Australia, meaning the proposed Anthropic-linked campus alone represents a very large addition to the country’s computing infrastructure. Nvidia has also announced plans to help add up to 2 GW of AI-related data centre capacity in Australia by 2027 through partnerships with local companies.
The Western Downs project will be developed in stages. The first stage is expected to come online in 2027, with the full campus planned to expand through multiple phases.
The site covers hundreds of hectares near Dalby and will connect to Queensland’s electricity network through the Braemar power station and substation. The project is expected to require major upgrades to local power infrastructure as its computing capacity grows.
Facility Will Support Claude AI Inference
Anthropic plans to use the Australian facility mainly for AI inference, rather than training its largest AI models. Inference is the computing process that takes place when an AI model responds to a user or performs a task. As demand for AI services grows, companies need large amounts of computing capacity to run models for millions of users.
The facility will therefore help Anthropic provide computing resources for Claude, its family of AI models, in Australia and the wider region.
The focus on inference also has a regulatory significance. Australia is developing rules for large data centres and AI infrastructure, including requirements around energy use and the country’s strategic interests. Reuters reported that upcoming regulations are expected to place restrictions on the use of Australian data centre capacity for AI training.
Renewable Energy And Cooling Plans
Power supply is one of the biggest issues surrounding large AI data centres because advanced AI systems require substantial amounts of electricity.
Zerra’s project is expected to use a combination of grid power and renewable energy arrangements. The development is also planned to include battery-backed infrastructure and long-term power agreements as the campus expands.
Anthropic and the project developers have also highlighted the use of a closed-loop, air-cooled system. The design is intended to reduce the amount of water required for cooling compared with conventional water-intensive systems.
However, the project’s energy plans have also attracted attention. Local and political discussions have focused on how such a large facility will affect electricity supply, water resources and surrounding communities.
The project is still subject to regulatory approvals, including approval from Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board.
Queensland Looks To Attract AI Infrastructure
The Anthropic agreement is part of a wider effort by Queensland and the Australian government to attract investment in AI infrastructure.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli announced the Anthropic agreement in state parliament after a recent trade mission to the United States. The state government has promoted the region’s access to electricity, available land and infrastructure as reasons for locating large data centres outside Australia’s traditional technology hubs.
The Western Downs project is expected to create construction and technology-related jobs and could lead to further investment in local electricity infrastructure.
The project also marks a shift in Australia’s data centre expansion. Much of the country’s existing data centre industry has been concentrated around major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. The Western Downs development would bring a large-scale AI computing facility to a regional part of Queensland.
Anthropic Has Been Expanding In Australia
Anthropic’s data centre agreement follows several moves by the company to strengthen its presence in Australia.
In April 2026, Anthropic and the Australian government signed a memorandum of understanding covering AI safety, infrastructure, research and skills. Anthropic also announced plans to open a Sydney office as part of its expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Australian government said Australians are among the highest users of Anthropic’s AI models on a per-capita basis. The company has also been working with Australian businesses on applications involving areas such as fraud prevention, cybersecurity and customer experience.
In July, reports said Anthropic was looking for at least 1.4 GW of Australian data centre capacity, potentially involving infrastructure spending of up to US$15 billion. The new Queensland agreement is the first major data centre deal publicly confirmed as part of that expansion.
Australia Faces A Growing AI Infrastructure Demand
Anthropic’s Queensland agreement comes as technology companies race to secure the computing capacity needed to support the rapid growth of AI.
Earlier in September, Nvidia announced plans to work with Australian data centre companies to add up to 2 GW of AI computing capacity. Australia’s existing data centre load was estimated at about 1.6 GW at the time.
The expansion could bring new investment and jobs, but it also raises questions about electricity demand, water use, land and the impact of large facilities on local communities.
For Anthropic, the Queensland agreement gives the company access to a major new source of computing capacity at a time when demand for Claude and other AI services is increasing.
The Western Downs Digital Park is expected to start operations in 2027, subject to the required approvals. If completed as planned, the project will become one of Australia’s largest data centre developments and a major part of the country’s growing AI infrastructure sector.
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