# Anthropic anchors A$32bn Queensland data centre project

> Anthropic became anchor tenant of a A$32bn Queensland data centre campus.

*Claude's maker signs on as first tenant of Australia's largest proposed data centre, near Dalby.*

By Behzad Hosseini · FeaturedDaily
Canonical: https://featureddaily.com/news/anthropic-anchors-a-32bn-queensland-data-centre-project

**What happened:** Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told state parliament on 16 September that Anthropic has signed on as anchor tenant of a proposed A$32 billion data centre campus on the Western Downs, near Dalby, about 250 km west of Brisbane.

**The numbers:** The A$32 billion figure equates to roughly US$22.8 billion. The 725-hectare site, a former cattle feedlot beside the Braemar power stations, will hold four single-storey data halls with about 1.44 GW of IT capacity, built in stages over four years. ABC News reports power draw comparable to 1.5 million Australian homes.

**The details:** Developer Zerra DC, the data-centre arm of Singapore's AGP Sustainable Real Assets, owns the site and lodged planning applications with the council on 17 August. The campus is mostly air-cooled, using about 16.5 kilolitres of water a day. The government says no new transmission lines are needed; Anthropic is expected to cover full grid-connection costs and pursue long-term power deals.

**Why it matters:** Crisafulli called it the largest data centre proposed in Australia, and it is Anthropic's first deal in the country. Anthropic told the ABC it will use the capacity to run Claude for users, not to train models.

**The catch:** The project still needs Foreign Investment Review Board approval and council planning sign-off. Local opposition has emerged.

**The context:** Anthropic's revenue run rate hit $65 billion in July, and the company has been adding compute capacity worldwide to keep pace.

**What's next:** Anthropic aims to start using the Dalby site in 2027, pending the outstanding approvals.

Sources: [ABC News](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-16/queensland-data-centre-anthropic-dalby/107160640), [The Tech Capital](https://thetechcapital.com/anthropic-secures-capacity-at-22-8-billion-queensland-data-centre-campus/)

## Key takeaways

- Anthropic's first Australian deal, announced 16 September 2026
- Site near Dalby will run Claude inference, not training, from 2027
- Still needs foreign investment and council approval to proceed

## Sources

- [AI giant Anthropic signs agreement for $32b Queensland data centre](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-16/queensland-data-centre-anthropic-dalby/107160640) — ABC News (Australia), 2026-09-16
- [Anthropic reportedly secures capacity at $22.8 billion Queensland data centre campus](https://thetechcapital.com/anthropic-secures-capacity-at-22-8-billion-queensland-data-centre-campus/) — The Tech Capital, 2026-09