By Aston Brown
Dozens gathered in Greymare Hall on Friday night, 17 May, in opposition to a prospective wind farm in the region. Multiple landowners in the area have been approached by renewable energy developers that are scouting the area for a potential wind farm development.
Greymare lies just over 10km from the MacIntyre Windfarm, currently the largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere.
Locals Lindy Bennett and Rosemary Unwins, who moved from Victoria to a small property in Greymare to retire, organised the meeting. “We heard on the grapevine that landowners had been approached about the possibility of placing wind turbines on their property,” Ms Bennett said. “We came here to retire, now we are in this renewable energy nightmare”.
Over the last decade large properties in the area have been subdivided into smaller “lifestyle blocks” which would be too small to host wind turbines. Many of the owners of these blocks attended the meeting and strongly opposed a wind farm development because of their visual impact. Concerns were also raised about disruption during construction and pressures on housing.
“I couldn’t care less about the money, it’s about the environmental impacts, the division in the community … we want a harmonious community,” Ms Uwins said.
Southern Downs state Liberal National MP, James Lister attended the meeting and responded to a flurry of concerns raised by landowners in attendance. He said will take their concerns to the state parliament and suggested the community start a petition against renewable energy developments in the area.
“My personal view is that renewable energy projects like this would be better suited in areas with lower populations,” MP Lister said. “I oppose renewable projects in areas like this”.
Last month the Liberal National Party supported legislation by the Queensland government to cut the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035. The rapid development of renewable energy to replace the state’s reliance on fossil fuels will be required to meet the target.
There are currently six operating wind farms in Queensland, four under construction, and another 46 proposed.
Greymare landowner, David Lawler, was approached by a wind farm developer two weeks ago that has requested to carry out wind testing over the next few years.
“I feel tonight was a bit one-sided because a lot of people that have been approached to host wind turbines on their property were not told about this meeting tonight,” he said.
“The properties they are looking at are … 10-12 kilometres away from here. I know they (the lifestyle blocks) may have visions of some of the towers but at the end of the day we’ve got to have electricity.”
The details of contracts between farmers and renewable developers are locked behind confidentiality agreements, but it’s said annual compensation is roughly $40,000 a wind turbine. Local councils can also benefit from increased rates which the developers are required to pay.
According to landowners approached by developers, it could take seven to nine years before construction begins.
Cr Wantling, Richters and Bartley attended the meeting to represent council. No renewable energy developers were invited to the meeting.
