Winterbourne Wind Farm

NSW is faceing an electricity crisis. The current coal fired powerstations are going to be shutting down. We need something to replace them and Wind as the cheapest source of energy is the logical option. As we transition to electric vechicles this will demand more power. If we are going to "keep the lights on" when coal shuts, action has to be taken now or sooner.

Walcha is faceing a declineing population. As a town it has relied upon the grazing and timber industries and associated services. With the demise of the timber industry the town requires other industries to come and preferably multiple industries. This is to help grow and sustain the town and surounding community in population and services. The local council is struggling financially. The construction and then maintance of the wind farm will bring much needed people and money into the community.

The project is likely to bring a major economic stimilus to the town. A number of local businesses will be beneficierys. It will increase the price of land in and around the wind farm, as both involved and neighbouring land in the area will see an increase in prices due to an increase in income from the turbines. Having an income stream unrelated to farming is a positive for the community both in town and on farms.

I wish to express my very strong opposition to the development of the Winterbourne Wind Farm at Walcha, NSW. My husband and I bought a house in Walcha 2.5 years ago with a view to retiring to town from our beef cattle property. Walcha is a picturesque and quiet country town close to the pristine wilderness areas to the east. It is a caring community with everyone looking out for their neighbour.

There has been so much secrecy on the part of the developer, Vestas and Winterbourne Wind, and only in 2022 did we even learn of the project, and more recently the impact it would have on the community. There is already division in the community – I have seen first hand two usually placid gentlemen having a very heated argument in the main street, drawing a lot of attention from onlookers. This is not what Walcha is about and is the opposite of what is stated in the Winterbourne Wind EIS that the project will result in “improved community and family cohesion and vibrancy.”

Another major concern for me is traffic movements during the construction stage, reported to take 2 years. The access from our home is onto the Uralla Road, on the proposed transport route, and at no stage have we been consulted by any of the parties involved in this project. It concerns me what delays we will experience when trying to go anywhere. This access also serves the local preschool and I can only imagine the inconvenience and disruption this will cause parents and children using this service. I have also become aware that the EIS does not make mention of the Walcha Preschool.

The school bus to Armidale stops to collect children on the corner of Jamieson Street and Uralla Road and I hate to think what impact the construction traffic will have on this service as well as the local school bus service which travels on the Uralla Road passed Darjeeling Road to collect children morning and afternoon. I am certain that traffic movements will have an effect on the events that take place at the Walcha Showground – the Walcha Show, Rodeo, Campdraft, Pony Club, Motorcycle Rally etc.
We travel to both Tamworth and Armidale regularly to attend services and appointments that are not available to us in Walcha such as banking, solicitors, optometrist, specialist dental, skin specialists and to oncology services at the North West Cancer Centre in Tamworth. I am worried about the delays that will be caused not only to our everyday living situation, but also our health outcomes.

From information we have received, which has been limited and difficult to access, we will be able to see multiple wind turbines from our home and this is not in keeping with a rural landscape which we treasure so much here in Walcha.

As stated, I do not want this development to go ahead.

I wish to lodge an objection to the Winterbourne Wind project in the Walcha area of NSW. I am resident of Walcha and our family have owned and continue to run grazing country in the Walcha district for 40 years.

While I am not against renewable energy, I do not support its generation on the scale that is proposed for Walcha.

The number and size of the wind towers, including related infrastructure such as the transmission lines, and massive amount of traffic this will cause on our roads is completely disproportionate to the size of our small rural community.

Added to this is the visual aspect of such large industrial machines, in a rural landscape, and also the disruptions to agriculture activities.

Vestas has not conducted appropriate community consultation to address my concerns and I was only made aware of the project in early 2022, by other community members and local press.

It is my wish that this project does not proceed.

This Project is an environmental disaster neighbouring our world heritage listed Oxley Rivers National Park.
The EIS indicates that there is little to be done to protect the flora and fauna that will either be destroyed or put at risk from this project.
This Dutch company, Vestas, does not care for our Australian ecosystem, but simply proposes to pay for the assessed destruction of our native habitats and fauna through a penalty system totalling over $64 million. Our Governments should be disgusted to think of contemplating any support of this buy off.
The Winterbourne Wind EIS has identified multiple threatened fauna & flora species within the 200 hectare project which includes habitats of Koalas, Spotted Tail Quoll, Greater Gliders & Squirel Gliders, Glossy Black Cockatoo & Barking Owl plus a high population of Wedge Tailed Eagles & White Throated Needletail which all fly at the height of of the turbines. It is inevitable there will be multiple collisions with the massive blades causing death of the precious birds and gliders. Any species that isn't killed will be scared away from the horrific noise from the turbines so no matter what, a loss, and a huge loss for our overall environment, it is never to be a win at any time.
To add to this disaster is the threatened plant species including the Narrow- leaf Black Peppermint unique to New England along with multiple other trees and plants.
Walcha, Uralla & New England attract visitors from all over Australia to view our beautiful environment - we do not want these unsightly, dangerous and horrible intrusions on our beautiful landscapes. Sydney Planners would not want them nearby Bondi Beach so why would we like them on our doorstep. We choose to live in peace and harmony with nature, not have these horrific towers or in the case of solar, mirrors, looking over us. Such projects are also threats when it comes to bushfires. What RFS member would go in to fight fires with these hanging around nearby, thus neighbouring properties could end up being infernos.
Put these projects out west in the desert where no one resides.
It is all because of lack of funding to build transmission lines out west, that our areas have been designated as having to put up with such horrible infrastructure as proposed in our beautiful countryside. Put them out where no people live!
Please make these overseas companies pay their big dollars for the installation out west if they want to reap the huge profits...... wake up Australia before it is too late!
There are no long term benefits for any one of us "ordinary" people....no long term jobs, only lost fauna, lost flora and Australian dollars floating offshore. A handful of farmers may be reaping a short term reward but who is paying the long term cost of either replacement or decommissioning of these huge monstrosities...we as ratepayers will no doubt be doing that in 20-30 years! If such money could be made by these companies, why doesn't our Australia Government invest in the erection of them out west?
We beg the Dept Planning to show common sense in saying NO to projects such as this, PLEASE, PLEASE have some common sense!

- important step to a greener, more sustainable future.
- important for future generations in regard to lessoning the use of fossil fuels that will run out in the future.

I am looking for work in walcha and would like more people to come to walcha so we can have a League team once again, more than 4 touch teams and more a social life

I object to the Winterbourne Wind Farm Project. My opposition rests on a range of issues concerning the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

I would like to object to the mega industrial scale wind and solar farms that are proposed to be built in the New England area. I agree with the need to transition to renewable energy but it needs to be done in a measured and responsible manner that addresses all communities over a 10 -20 year period. Climate Change is a multi faceted issue, no one solution will transition the world to a solve the areas of pollution, degradation of biodiversity and loss of species . The Winterbourne project is a large scale wind turbine project proposed for an area that is significant farming land and borders World Heritage listed national parks. The scale of the projects is currently leading to social unrest within small knit communities divided between haves and have nots. The Winterbourne project is targeted to sit against the border of the World Heritage listed National Park. Whilst there are identified economic benefits to the small community, there appears to be a lack of consideration to the environmental impact to the areas with a staggering 64 million put aside by offshore investor Vestas to pay for environmental credits for the environmental cost to the area. It is recognised that habitats of Koalas Spotted Quoll Greater Glider and Wedge tail eagle to name a few will be severely by this project. It makes a mockery of renewal energy to save the climate when this ability to offset impact an be garnered. Can this project identify how it is neutral to the environment? The New England environment is some of the countries prime agricultural land. Whilst it could reasonably be argued that the location of Windfarms outside the the main community will not be impacted, however the area is targeted with large scale industrial and solar farms and it is the poles and wires that need to be built across the landscape that is required to transmit the energy to cities . This will only increase the perception that the bush is unfairly wearing the burden of infrastructure to solve energy needs. Regional communities already have significantly invested in renewable energy to run their business compared to city communities. The windfarms will increase the risk of bushfires and capability to contain those fires, the creation of no fly zones will have consequences for both farmers and national parks. Renewable energy needs to be addressed with a planned , equitable , efficient solutions over a period of time to minimise the impact of social dislocation to communities and to ensure there is distribution of economic cost and wealth across the spectrum of all community. It appears that large scale developments are being implement and alternative solutions such as micro grids and nuclear power are not considered . A quick solution of scale and fast implementation does not recognise holistic costs to specific communities. It has been identified that micro grids benefit all communities especially regional communities and not off shore investors which leaves Australian open to sovereign risk of off shore countries. Covid 19 recently gave all countries around the world the lesson of the need to be self sufficient across multi areas of supply chains. Micro grids and nuclear reduce the risk to construct massive transmission towers across farmland to areas where consumers of energy are; significantly reduce loss of biodiversity across the state; share the distribution proportionally between the city and the bush to transition to new forms of energy. Micro grids are also an good example of distributed energy not building scale in small areas but distributing your risk through multiple networks. The scale of development across the New England is overwhelming . There has been no clear work conducted to assess the holistic impact to the community. I ask that a moratorium on any further developments in renewable energy across the state of new south wales should be implemented until impacts of scale and social cost to regional areas are assessed . There is a need to progress slowly and smartly to minimise the impact of transition to new forms of energy and to take account of the impacts of dislocation of social structures and environmental impacts.

I am against the Winterbourne Wind Turbine Project for the Following reasons:
1. I have great concerns with the problems being caused during the construction Phase. It is going to cause significant effects on our transport corridor for our produce, our ability to access supplies from our major regional supply centre of Tamworth and general disruption for schools, emergency services and security firms.
2. I am extremely worried for our environment. There is going to be damage to our prestine Heritage listed National park and its Flora and Forna. There is going to be run off of gravel and particulates into our rivers and creeks. Our river systems in the New England are some of the cleanest in Australia.
There is going to real biosecurity risks due to materials brought into the area for construction of the roads, vehicles that will have been traversing other areas and will not be doing a vehicle clean down prior to entering our area.
There is going to be a substantial loss of our unique population of Birdlife, particularly our unique population of Wedge Tail Eagles. nothing in the EIS addresses these problems
I am concerned about the risk of fires on the edge of the National Park. When the fires get into the National Park's they are hard to stop and usually come out in settled areas. The loss of wildlife in these Park fires is unacceptable for the survival of Koala's, Spotted Quoll and endangered Wallabies. We have all seen shots of the turbines exploding into flames.
3. I am concerned for our community. Division has already started between farmers and any development that divides a small community should not happen.
4.I am worried about the effect on my property value. My land is valuable due to its view. This is going to be spoilt because we will be staring at many turbines.
5. I believe the size of the project is too large for our area and should be scaled down to about 10 percent of the current size.
6. Tourism will be significantly affected by this project. Our community rely's on this trade. People come here to experience unspoiled nature. This will change whilst ever the turbines are on site.
7. I am extremely worried when it comes time to decommission the project. It happens regularly that oversea companies deregister Company's when it suits them , leaving no money to return the land to its original position.
8. Ther are many significant First Nations sites in the district and should be considered.

Having lived in Walcha for 23 years, educated and worked for major bank for 6 1/2 years I moved away 40 years ago however I still call walcha my home town.
I contibue to return every 6 to 8 weeks to visit family so I consider myself still part local.
I support any business or industry who is prepared to come to town, the town needs whatever it can get, a number of wind farms is not going to harm the town it will bring much needed business and possible employment opportunities.
Wind towers are no different to tv ,internet or mobile phone towers, wind towers can bring employment now and into the future, TV,mobile phone towers internet etc we have these without major objections so why object to wind we should pledge support fir all if Walcha us to have a future.

My husband, Mark Guyot, and I, Dr Melanie Oppenheimer, are making a joint submission in response to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Winterbourne Wind Farm (SUB-53271707). We live at SR206 “Ohio”, 85 Nivison Road, Walcha. The nearest proposed turbine is 4 klms away to the north. Currently, 14 wind turbines will be visible (both tip & hub) from our property.

We are broad supporters of renewable energy source developments and understand the need to find alternative sources of energy (solar & wind). However, we have a number of concerns about the Winterbourne Wind Farm as presented in the EIS:

1. Water. Water is a precious commodity in the Walcha district and we do not believe there is enough additional capacity to provide the water needs for the construction. The EIS is vague on this matter about where they are sourcing the water. This needs to be confirmed prior to any approval.
2. Destruction of trees. The Walcha climate is severe with long periods of frost and dry weather conditions. Over the last 60 years, there has been significant reduction in eucalyptus tree coverage due to 'die-back' and climate change (increasing storms etc). The mature trees we have left are precious. The numbers of trees destroyed to create roads and infrastructure for this large wind turbine project is heartbreaking. Planting seedlings to replace mature trees is not sufficient.
3. Size & Scale. The project as it is currently envisaged will contain 119 of the largest wind turbines ever built in Australia. Because they are one of the first of their type, there is no indication of how loud the turbines might actually be. The EIS data is an extrapolation of current turbines and may be of little relevance to the ones proposed. Why can’t the turbines be smaller?
4. Why so many? This is a huge development and is causing enormous conflict and division within the community. We believe that some of the opposition may be appeased by a reduction in the number of key wind turbines that are clearly visible from the township of Walcha. Specifically B036/37/38/39.
5. Community Benefits Fund & the Neighbour Benefit Fund. An Addendum was produced on 7 December 2022, which removes all references to the Neighbour Benefit Fund (NBF). Dr M Davey, Partner, Capital Project Delivery states that the NBF had an ‘unintentional implication that all project neighbours will separately receive financial benefits from the CBF’. The NBF was mentioned 7 times in the EIS stating clearly that neighbours would receive direct compensation. This was also mentioned by Mr Doug Landfear, Project Director, in community consultations with us. Secondly, the language regarding the CBF had changed from a 5% ownership to a vague ‘intention’. Similarly the amounts of money to be provided annually have shifted from a commitment to an intention. This shift in language is very concerning. At present, with the Addendum, there is no specific commitment to establish any sort of community benefit fund that would provide the sorts of money specified ($750,000 per annum). Dr Davey’s reimagining of the NBF provides us with little assurance that any promises to the Walcha community will be upheld. Lastly, the CBF straddles both Walcha and Uralla LGAs yet there is no specific details as to how the monies will be shared, if they are produced at all.
6. Communication issues. It appears to us from the Addendum that there are serious communication problems within the project. That Dr Davey, as a Partner, Capital Project Delivery, and Mr Landfear as Project Director, can have such different ideas about what the project will deliver for the local community (eg NBF issue) is very concerning. How was this ‘unintentional implication’ missed? How did it make the EIS? Attention to detail is questioned here. What else have they missed? How much water? Where will it come from? How many trees? How many roads and how wide? How much community dislocation and disruption? For what? Once this project commences, there will be little opportunity for the community to address issues that haven't been sufficiently thought through and addressed. This does not bode well for a long term and difficult project such as this one where ownership of the project may change several times over the lifetime of the project. Promises made to the community by one set of owners, may not be upheld by the next. There is no guarantee in the current EIS that the CBF will be delivered in full and maintained at the specified rate for the life of the project.

These people come and go. They fly in and fly out. We live here. This is our home. We will be living with these giant structures for the rest of our lives. This project has to be right and especially at this crucial point.

Marmindi Pastoral Co objects to the Winterbourne Wind Project for the following reasons:

1. As a possible neighbour we are concerned that this project will devalue our land. Our existing natural vista will be ruined by being able to see at least 10-12 turbines. Multiple Red flashing lights at night on Turbines are futher visual pollution to us and possible future purchasers. Winterbourne at one stage offered pitiful compensation of $10000 per year, but have not been heard from for over 12 months.

2. The disruption to existing businesses from road upgrades followed by enormous amounts of truck movements during construction will effect our ability to transport commodities to market.

3. Disruption to an already modified environment will result in further local extinctions of wildlife. Animals such as Koalas are already under pressure in the area from drought and Chlamydia. Further clearing of habitat for roads and turbines will result in local extinctions.

4. Local residents do not want huge Wind Farm projects. This was shown by a Voice for Walcha poll.

I object to the Winterbourne Wind Project for the following reasons:
1. The land clearing required for roads and turbines is in a known KOALA habitat area.

2. Other threatened species such as Gliders, Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos and Wedgetailed Eagles are also likely to be affected by clearing of native remnant forest.

3. This project is incompatible with the nearby World Heritage areas. The Walcha area has long traded on its Green Natural surroundings for tourism. Tourism is likely to reduce if the area becomes an industrial landscape because of Wind Farms.

4. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE WALCHA POPULATION DO NOT WANT THESE HUGE PROJECTS. A recent poll of Walcha residents by Voice For Walcha showed very little support for these projects. It is unfair to expect the Walcha district to produce completely disproportunate amounts of GREEN ENERGY for the metropolitan areas of NSW.

I support the project as I feel that it will have beneficial outcomes for the Walcha community as a whole. It may be the deciding factor as to whether the local council will ultimately survive or not. Walcha currently has a declining and aging population, and without new industry or growth, will continue to decline. This project will stimulate the local economy with new opportunities, bring in and keep younger generations, skills, with new employment opportunities.
The project overall has a small footprint and is compatible with existing agriculture operations. This won’t derogate the existing operations, and with the additional income, most likely improve those agricultural operations.
It's renewable energy (zero emission). Climate change is currently on the increase, with emissions targets that needed to be met. Coal power stations being shut down, electric transport is on the increase, so more energy is needed there as well, and presently energy prices are on the increase with the shortage of energy.
Other towns that I've been to with wind farms seem to have a little extra vibe to them compared to before the wind farm, as there seems to be more income to the town, extra resilience to droughts, diversification and additional workers and families etc.
I haven’t found wind turbines visually distracting or noisy when visiting other locations with them.
To me, the Winterbourne Wind project will provide economical benefits to the Walcha and greater communities in a multitude of ways, and with very little downsides.

I am, along with my family 100% in favor of wind turbines in the Walcha district.

I believe that the turbines will create a clean, cheap and sustainable electricity source. We have been told that the old, dirty and inefficient coal fired power stations are to be phased out of use and if we are to progress as nation we need an efficient alternative source of electricity. Climate change is apparent all around us and we must seek solutions to this problem.

The boost to the economy of Walcha and N.S.W. is not to be underestimated. Walcha has an aging population as well as a declining one and the additional jobs that the building and maintaining of the wind turbines would generate is significant. Our community would also benefit in a very real way from the Community Benefit Fund.

I am very firmly in favor of wind turbines being erected in the Walcha District. I believe that it can only help towards a cleaner, safer environment for us all to live in.

I have major concerns regarding the proposed Winterbourne Wind Project, and object strongly.

I acknowledge and support the development of sustainable power to meet the demand of the growing population. HOWEVER when it comes at a substantial cost to the environment, community, agricultural production, and potentially human health I can in no way support this this proposal. These are a brief list of the immediate negative impacts, but I have no doubt that the full list of negative influences imposed on the Walcha Community will not become apparent for years to come following any structural development.

Wrong Place. Wrong Size.

1. Prime Agricultural Land: Walcha has always been considered, and will continue to be considered as some of the most highly agriculturally productive land in NSW. Temperate conditions, fertile soils and high rainfall support high levels of animal production. The proposed project will induce stress on animals on a number of fronts- but most notably due to the noise, vibration, blade flicker and inhalation of other compounds. Animal production is a sensitive process, and any form of stress will have a substantial negative influence on all forms of animal production, including fertility and weight gain. Prime agricultural land is a finite resource, so pick somewhere where the impact to agriculture is not going to be apparent!

2. We are what we eat! From a human consumption perspective, if animals are consistently stressed then the nutritional quality of lamb and beef is negatively influenced. Just like the unknowns that have been proposed by the developer, what is the association between inducing stress on animals and the potential link with inflammatory diseases such as cancer and heart disease?

3. Walcha is a small country town that is built on trust and integrity! Concerns must be drawn when payments are being made to producers for signing contracts to secrecy, as has been the case with the proposed project?

4. Road Infrastructure: Walcha has continued to be proud of maintaining high levels of local roads and infrastructure. The high traffic caused by the proposed project, will have a substantially negative influence on the roads. The inconvenience of large trucks on the road to the normality of a traditionally sleepy country town, will be immeasurable. Developers will commit to maintaining roads, but to what level and no doubt at the cost to our local resources and environment.

5. Resources: for such a large project, the natural resources such as gravel and water are substantial. The economics of transporting this from further distances will be less feasible, hence it would be expected to be resourced from the Walcha region, again having a list of negative influences on the local environment. This resource should be more appropriately pulled from less productive areas of land, but this is a double edged sword with that creating a larger transport and fuel challenge. When the underlying goal of the Winterbourne Wind Project is to create sustainable energy, is this not counter-productive?

6. For any business proposal to be sustainable, it must benefit both parties. Under the proposal, the financial reward to the developer is substantial, yet the financial return to the Walcha Community is insignificant given their indirect contribution. Unfortunately, the saddest thing about the proposal is that it has created a clear division in the community. This is the community that has always banded together to fight for an important cause. The financial incentive being offered to the community, does not cover the social influence of this community separation alone. Need I bring mental health of the community into the discussion?

7. Who is accountable for the structures should the project/developer go bankrupt? Whatever the outcome of the proposed project, I believe that this should be a central consideration in protecting the producers and community against this scenario.

Conclusion:
Never did I think that I would see a division in the Walcha Community like it is at present. Family against family, friends against friends. That is not what this community has been built upon. I am from a sixth-generation farming family from the Walcha region, having a presence here for some 150 years. I am professionally trained in both human and livestock health, and this is my greatest concern with the proposed project. The environment is also incredibly important to me, given the agricultural outputs it can produce to accommodate the growing population, which is being heavily jeopardized. The resource pool of a small country town should not be ravaged for the benefit of a multinational developer.

I acknowledge the need for sustainable energy sources. But Walcha is not the place to implement such a project!

I wish you well in assessing your alternative options.

Charles Koebel objection to Winterbourne Wind Farm. Attachment.