Burrendong Wind Farm

I own a property at 237 Worlds End Road Yarrabin and have been there for 12 years. We bought the property for the lifestyle and the remoteness and the fact that you cannot see any neighbours or industry. As we are getting older we require this peaceful environment as sustenance for a good life.

My children and parents visit the property and love the wildlife and the quiet.

I cannot believe that this will all be ruined and the property value will also be drastically reduced…..this property is my superannuation plan. The windfarm will halve the value of the property if not MORE!!!!!

• The project will have a detrimental impact to the scenic features of the World’s End Ridgeline
• High impact to the value of the landscape, including the natural landscape and serenity

I object to the project due to the following concerns:
• Application is premature
• The issues relating to noise, fire risk, radio interference and negative impact on surrounding rural property values need to be addressed
• Not enough is known about adverse health effects associated with the wind farms
• Potential impact on normal farming practices i.e. aerial spraying
• The aesthetic visual nature of the infrastructure
• Visual Pollution – concerned with location and height of turbines. This beautiful rural landscape and skyline will be damaged to create an industrial landscape.
• Potential negative impacts on animal welfare - during the operational phase of the Project associated environmental impacts may include impacts on bird and bat species due to the striking of inflight individuals.
• Socioeconomics – research identified that wind turbines are inefficient – lack of evaluation of alternate renewable sources such as solar

The value of our property on Worlds end Rd will substantially decrease as well as be unsightly.

I vehemently oppose the establishment of the Burrendong Wind Farm for several compelling reasons that directly impact the local residents, their properties, visitors, and the surrounding environment. When considering the details of the proposal provided by Ark Energy, I find it imperative to structure my objection in alignment with their specific plan for optimal clarity.

The World’s End Ridgeline stands as a high-quality scenic feature that holds immense value. Regrettably, the proposed wind farm threatens the destruction of this invaluable landscape, jeopardizing not only its aesthetic appeal but also the overall quality of life for local residents, their properties, and visitors.

The expansive views from various vantage points on the land, which contribute significantly to the property's appeal, will be irreversibly marred. Given that the properties are designated as lifestyle properties rather than traditional farming ventures, the entire essence and purpose of living in this idyllic environment will be obliterated.

The intrusion of industrial wind turbines, will servery compromise the peaceful, natural landscape, serenity, and fresh air that characterize lifestyle this off grid location and hugely impacted by the towering structures and the associated noise and visual disruption.

Moreover, the value of the land will be significantly diminished. The adverse effects of the wind farm on the landscape will not only impact the local resident daily lives but also dissuade the many visitors who come to stay, drawn by the pristine surroundings that will be lost if this proposal is allowed to proceed. The installation of the wind turbines will undoubtedly introduce light pollution.

Additionally, the absence of phone reception and electromagnetic fields (EMF) has been a deliberate and cherished aspect of local residents, who have made a choice for this off-grid lifestyle. The introduction of turbines will disrupt this EMF-free environment.

In summary, the proposition for the Burrendong Wind Farm not only poses a threat to the natural landscape but also jeopardizes the very essence of the lifestyle chosen by the local residents. The potential destruction of the World’s End Ridgeline, the degradation of expansive views, and the introduction of industrial elements all undermine the sanctity of our homes and disrupt the tranquility we have carefully nurtured in this distinct and beloved environment.

I object to this proposal on many levels and cannot believe that the NSW Department of Planning and Environment is still asking for submissions for Wind projects when there has been overwhelming information produced both here and overseas, as to them being a danger to people and the natural environment, a futile contribution to electricity generation, and staggering financial costs which land finally at the foot of the Australian taxpayer for years to come.
Wind turbines cause pollution - directly through releasing chemicals that coat the blades slowly but surely, into the air, and then the soil and water.
The long wave length sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear, known as infrasound, have damaging effects on some people and interfere with the communications that are part of the life of many marine animals.
Wind farms divide communities, particularly smaller ones, where the cash windfalls to some members are welcomed and the remainder are left with the fall in land values, the disruption to farming operations, intrusions into the normal town commerce, the scarcity of skilled labour that is poached during construction, and the moving away of locals to avoid the inevitable ill will that pervades the area. And then there is no provision for the eventual removal of the towers or the closure of the farms for whatever reason.
Windfarms in Australia are not going to reduce carbon emissions from Australia. When the full costs, including batteries and new transmission lines, construction and decommissioning, and debt servicing and labour requirements are considered, they will increase them.

I strongly object to the Burrendong Wind Farm because it will destroy the scenic quality of the World’s End Ridgeline. Ark Energy could listen to the community feedback and remove the row of 8 turbines that will directly affect the close knit community in the area. These are lifestyle properties and the reason for being on these properties will be destroyed if these turbines go ahead.

I strongly object to the Burrendong Wind Farm because it will destroy the scenic quality of the World’s End Ridgeline. Ark Energy could listen to the community feedback and remove the row of 8 turbines that will directly affect the close knit community in the area. These are lifestyle properties and the reason for being on these properties will be destroyed if these turbines go ahead.

I am absolutely DISGUSTED by the failures of this planning portal.
I just spent 3 hours of my unpaid time writing a submission in here and when I hit "continue" my whole submission has been lost.
WHAT THE HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! This is UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I reserve the right to make another submission.

I strongly object to this project.

Ark Energy are yet another foreign owned developer that makes assertions based on false figures and promises built on falsehoods.

The consumer will pay. The environment will be permanently and irreversibly damaged. No affordable nor reliable electricity will be produced by this project.

There is no social license for this project. Ark Energy will sell this project with all its "errors" to another (likely) foreign owned entity. Ark Energy will profit and everyone else will suffer. The permanent damage to the environment proposed by ARK is despicable.

I strongly object to this project.

This project is not in the public interest. This project will only benefit the developer.

As far as "renewable energy" developers go ARK Energy have one of the poorest records. A review of the complaints to the AEIC will confirm their unsavory reputation.

There is no social license for this project from the immediate community or the broader community. The so called CWO REZ is crawling with foreign owned 'renewable energy' developers such as ARK Energy who are destroying the environment, destroying communities and contributing to the extinction of vulnerable, protected and threatened flora and fauna species.

ARK Energy sole motivation is to get this project approved by any means and then sell it off as soon as possible. The buyer will undoubtedly find many "errors" in the project.

The biodiversity assessment is totally inadequate and land clearing in this area by ARK will result in serious and irreversible impacts for many species including Koala. If cumulative impacts were genuinely taken in to account this project would never have made it to exhibition.

As for the community engagement, quoting studies by Greenpeace is ludicrous. The reality is that community engagement has included bullying, intimidation and at best a tick a box process.

I am concerned about the spread of feral animals (pigs deer & wild dogs) to neighbouring agricultural properties when the construction starts and then these animals will then stay on the neighbouring properties also the spread of weeds with all the earthworks.
I am concerned about devaluation of the surrounding properties.
I am also concerned about the noise when construction starts.
Bushfire risks
Biosecurity Risks.
I am also concerned about the volume of traffic once construction starts.
How much water the project will use

Good Evening, Miss Homsey, I am writing to object to the proposal to build a wind farm at Burrendong.

That area is very close to property owned by relatives. We have visited that property for the last 40 years. It is a beautiful scenic area, with stunning natural attributes.

A wind farm would destroy this area in a dramatic way. I believe that wind farms can disturb the local amenity - I have heard that birds are affected, the weather pattern disturbed, sleep patterns altered, and that there is the presence of “grey” noise.

I do hope that you will listen to our voices and abandon the idea of building this wind farm.

Thank you.

Like all wind plantations, Burrendong is not fit for purpose as, without back up, it cannot provide power 24/7; and when current roof top solar is producing more than enough on either side of noon in the summer, so much so, and scandalously, that wind plantations like Burrendong already have to be paid NOT to produce electricity.
The claims that wind can produce cheaper power than fossil fuels are based on the utterly misleading Levelised Cost Analysis which ignores three enormous costs of back up;
1: The cost of construction of back up during wind lulls which can last several days (currently fossil fuel/ aka gas and coal)
2: The cost of having the back-up plant on standby when it is not needed; who would finance and build a nuclear power plant that did not produce power 24/7?
3: The cost of infrastructure to take the power from where it is being made, in the pristine hill tops of our forested great dividing range, to where it is needed in or near big cities. Fossil fuel and nuclear plants are built near the source of supply and are part of the existing grid.
No fiscally aware government should permit unreliable renewables that are unfit for purpose as they do not come with adequate back up-power as part of the package.
Think again dear Nestor, please.
Regards

My family and I are concerned regarding the future location of the wind farm. Given that the wind turbines will only be 2km from our property, low range vibrations and noise that wind turbines make, in addition to visual impact, would make our stay unpleasant. Is there any chance to have them stationed further away? Looking forward to your understanding and support.

I object to the Burrendong Wind project. Please see my objection attached.

I feel this project needs to be stopped.
I visit this area regularly and go there to get back to nature. I visit my friend's amazing Nature retreat property at 167 Rockford lane, Yarrabin.
Looking over the magnificent, Worlds end ridgeline. The views and tranquility are a big part of the experience.
This will be spoilt by a wind farm. This project is devastating for Nature and the local community.
The destruction of the bushland that will happen for the construction of this wind farm is a disgrace.
Please help stop this project for everyone who visits this beautiful area and the local community that will be torn apart.
Regards
Ben Heat

I, Ajay Corvera, a member of Burrendong SOS, hereby express my objection and refusal to consent to the adverse impacts of the Burrendong Wind Farm proposal on our community and surrounding landscape. If constructed, the proposed wind farm, particularly turbine Nos 49, 50, and 53 to 61, will have an unacceptable cumulative visual impact on the Worlds End Ridgeline, a high-quality landscape feature equivalent to coastal ocean views.

I request the removal of the specified turbines from the proposal to preserve the scenic quality of the Worlds End Ridgeline, shielding the highest density of dwellings from adverse visual impacts from the project. The existing Landscape Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) produced by Moir Landscape Architects (Moir LA) is biased, false, and misleading, serving the financial interests of Ark Energy and Moir LA rather than accurately assessing the project's impact.

Key concerns include:

The LVIA's failure to identify over 30 dwellings within 5km of the project site for impact analysis and the omission of properties with dwelling entitlements within the same radius.
The exclusion of the Piambong Wind Farm proposal from the Multiple Wind Turbine Tool analysis, violating requirements of the Wind Energy Visual Assessment Bulletin and Cumulative Impact Assessment Guideline for State Significant Development.
Intentional misrepresentation of individual dwelling assessments, exemplified by Dwelling U8-1, such as this dwelling being located within 3.35km not 4km from turbine No.53 and the fact that turbines will be seen in 3x 60 degree sectors (including from the Piambong Wind Farm) not 1 x 60 degree sector - indicating a need for independent review.
Lack of consideration for the high scenic quality of the Worlds End Ridgeline, which is located in a C3 Environmental Management zone that objectives strive to protect its ecological, scientific, cultural, and aesthetic values.
Disregard for the fact that the highest density of properties and dwellings located immediately to the east and north-east of the project site are predominantly LIFESTYLE PROPERTIES, not agricultural, and the fact that the proposal involving 250m high industrial scale turbines, spinning with flashing lights proposed to tower over 1/2km into the air above the relative level of several dwellings in LCU07 - Worlds End, will undermine the reason people chose to purchase their properties, live and visit the area (e.g. relative isolation, peace and quiet, natural outlooks towards the majestic Worlds End Ridgeline, enjoyment of the dark night sky - star gazing and being at one with nature, away from the fast pace city life and out of reception).
Deficient community engagement, with non-associated landowners not adequately notified, resulting in a lack of fair input and questionable Visual Impact Assessment survey responses.
Criminal deception in Ark Energy via Moir Landscape Architects accessing land for the agreed purpose of providing photomontages - which where never provided to several landowners. And a general lack of social license, creating distress for the impacted community.
A suggesting the landscaping to screen views from dwellings to the Worlds End Ridgeline (similar to screening ocean views for coastal dwellers) is a fair and legitimate visual impact mitigation solution. The fact non-associated adversely impacted surrounding landowners have not been approached with any offers of financial compensation that I am aware of.
The Worlds End Valley has a significant Echo effect. This has not been acknowledged nor addressed in the Noise Impact Assessment (NIA). Also, the NIA fails to assess noise impacts on over 30 dwellings missing from the assessment map. I do not consent to future nuisance noise emanating from turbines, that has potential to prevent me from having a good night sleep with associated health impacts.
Burrendong SOS will look to pursue a class action for any adverse impacts resulting from this wind farm.
Concerns about the impact on biodiversity, particularly the potential harm to the Wedge Tail Eagle population (Apex predator for the region), a species of cultural significance to the local Wiradjuri People (one of their totem animals). Concern for the red tail black cockatoo population that frequents the Worlds End Valley (we have feathers collected to prove their existence). Concern for micro bats (pollinators) that call the area home (we have video footage of these), knowing that changes in barometric pressure from turbines can exploding their internal organs leading to the demise of their population. Also unknown impact on the local Koala population, noting Burrendong is in fact an Aboriginal name for Koala! - Koala's communicate via a low frequency mating call and turbines also emit low frequency noise - will this impact their ability to find a mate? Will the noise and lighting on turbines push nocturnal animals such as the sugar glider and koala out of the area? Development of this proposal should not proceed until independent studies are conducted to answer these questions.
I call for the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to commission an independent Landscape Visual Impact Assessment; independent Biodiversity Impact Assessment; and an independent Noise Impact Assessment to address the aforementioned concerns, and uphold legal assessment requirements (particularly with respect to the definition of a dwelling for assessment purposes) to prevent a gross jurisdictional error with regard to the assessment of this proposal. Additionally, I strongly advocate for the removal of turbine Nos 49, 50, 53 to 61 from the proposal as a viable mitigation option to eliminate cumulative visual impacts.

I am writing to express my strong objection to the proposed Burrendong Wind Farm, as outlined in the recent project proposal. My family has owned property at World End for almost 50 years, and we have enjoyed the quiet and peaceful surroundings during our regular camping holidays. I am deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts that the wind farm could have on our cherished property and the surrounding environment.

Firstly, I am apprehensive about the widespread destruction of animal habitat that may result from the construction and operation of the wind farm. The delicate ecosystem and diverse wildlife in the area are integral to the natural beauty and serenity we have come to appreciate over the years. I fear that the project may disrupt these habitats, causing irreversible harm to the local fauna.

Moreover, the interruption of quiet enjoyment during our camping holidays is a significant concern. The tranquil atmosphere of World End has been a retreat for my family, providing a much-needed escape from the noise and bustle of urban life. The presence of a wind farm, with its associated noise and visual impact, threatens to compromise the peaceful ambiance we have cherished for decades.

Additionally, I am worried about the potential devaluation of property in the area. The visual impact of the wind farm could adversely affect property values, diminishing the appeal of the region for both residents and potential buyers. This decline in property values could have lasting economic consequences for property owners, including my family.

Finally, I anticipate significant traffic issues associated with the construction and maintenance of the wind farm. The influx of heavy machinery, construction vehicles, and increased traffic poses risks to the safety of residents and visitors alike. Moreover, the additional strain on local infrastructure may result in road damage and further inconvenience to the community.

In light of these concerns, I kindly request that thorough and transparent assessments be conducted to evaluate the potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of the Burrendong Wind Farm. I believe it is crucial to consider alternative locations and technologies that minimize adverse effects on the community and its surroundings.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that you will take into account the well-founded objections of the local community and make decisions that prioritize the long-term well-being of both the environment and its residents.

Sincerely,

Brian Walsh

I strongly object to terrible ugly and toxic disaster for our environment. Why isn't Australia protecting our environment and wildlife and importantly our way of life. Why are we not fighting against an offsure multinational company who does not care about the impacts this farm will have. This will wind farm will impact negatively on community and environment and have devasting consequences to both the people, the land and our wildlife.