Winterbourne Wind Farm

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SUBMISSION FOR WINTERBOURNE WIND REVISED EIS 30.10.2024
I wish to object to the Winterbourne Wind (WW) Installation (NOT farm) revised EIS for the following reasons.
1, There is no social licence. The community does not want it. The developer and their associates have consistently avoided answering questions from the community, and will not have a community forum, just fliers and a stand at the local show to tick the boxes of “consultation”.
2, The traffic implications for a small town over many, many months are horrendous and will be extremely detrimental to families, businesses and general travellers, not to mention medical emergencies, school buses etc. Roads used by multiple OSOM vehicles on the Uralla/Walcha council road will need huge upgrades to cope, as it is not good at any time. I fail to see how they will negotiate the major roads (New England Highway and Thunderbolts Way) let alone the roads in Walcha and minor roads to the sites – all Council roads. Will they maintain them all?
3, Environmental concerns. Proposed turbines, with their associated access roads will decimate a fair proportion of the area. With the turbines being proposed on the hills and natural forest ridges, we stand to lose many of our native trees, and this MUST impact on biodiversity of the birds, fauna and flora which live there at present. Apparently, that is all to be put aside where wind turbines are proposed. WHY? Where are the environmentalists? Where is the Minister for the environment? Who REALLY cares for our threatened species?
4, Agriculture. This Walcha area is renowned for its agriculture – the Pasture Wonderland. With the size and scale of the proposed turbines PLUS the necessary transmission lines, our productive agricultural land will be diminished. Added to that, aerial agricultural operations will be difficult, and impossible in some areas. Our Earth is a finite resource, and our agricultural land extremely important to conserve, not degrade, so that the world’s population can be fed and clothed..
5. Aviation. As well as agricultural aviation, already mentioned and necessary in a lot of this area due to terrain, aerial medical retrievals, aerial firefighting and general aviation will be impacted, and in some areas it will become dangerous to operate, especially in inclement weather.
6, Community Fund. This is only to be paid when the whole of the project is commissioned. This is not acceptable. The Walcha community will suffer all the problems associated with installation – huge influx of workers (NOT FROM WALCHA) and transport delays, water issues and so on, with no recompense till all the turbines are up and running. How easy will it be to renege on that?
7, Blade erosion. The toxic chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) resin is used in the manufacture of the wind turbine blades. Erosion is well documented. If this should get into our waterways and agricultural lands, the results could be catastrophic for agriculture, animals and humans, including birds and wildlife. Even the unrealistic amount per leading edge of blades listed by WW (50 gms per blade per year) suggest monumental amounts when multiplied by 118 turbines with 3 blades each over many years. Scientists have calculated much more than that. This needs attention.
8, Decommissioning has not been addressed, except the WW will look at it nearer to the time. This is not good enough. The whole Walcha community needs to know that these turbines will be removed PROPERLY and by the developers.
I could go on and on with so many more examples of why I object, but surely by now you MUST be aware that this project is in the wrong place. I haven’t even mentioned the noise, or the visual impact of 118 turbines in our district (and have you even contemplated The Ruby Hills project, also proposed near Walcha.) Surely you should listen to the community of Walcha. This will rip apart our community. It has already done that to families and friends. IT MUST BE STOPPED.

I am a Trustee of the Cairnie Superannuation Fund-SMSF & I would like to support the Winterbourne Wind Project SSD-10471 & its amendments to the EIS.
This is a very important project for the supply of electricity to NSW, the reduction of carbon emissions, as well as injecting a huge economic boost into the Walcha economy
For the sustainability of our investments I respectfully urge the project be approved.

The whole of society as we now know it relies on the consumption of energy. As an example, Broken Hill is currently struggling with out its secure scouse of electricity. As the old coal fired generators close down and society turns away from the burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity alternatives must be found. The proposed Winterbourne Wind Farm is ideally situated on the high New England plateau and despite its opponents claiming otherwise, it isn't close to a populated area and I believe wont adversely affect the utilisation of the land for grazing. Any adverse effect on the road network will only occur during the construction period and the income generated and passed onto the land owners and the community will have long term benefits.
I strongly support the project and reject most of the arguments put up by the opponents of the project which are short sighted and not taking in the long term national benefit.

I am a partner in Cairnie Grazing Company, ABN 95 151 630 432, & I fully support the amendments to the Winterbourne Wind Project, SSD-10471, indeed the project as a whole.
Our business involves grazing sheep for wool production & beef cattle & we are often at the mercy of droughts &/poor markets.
Our land consists of high ridge lines on top of the Great Dividing Range. This high country is not suited to cultivation & does not have surface water so sustainable agricultural production is limited.
Winterbourne Wind has identified this land as being suitable for wind turbines & rent from the of these turbines will transform this land into a productive enterprise that will give our business a regular, diversified income & go some way to drought-proofing our business.
This will be an essential project for the production of clean renewable energy & beneficial to our business & the Walcha economy as a whole.

RE: WINTERBOURNE WIND FARM | APPLICATION NO. SSD-10471
We, as beneficiaries of the above Superannuation Fund, are making a submission in support of the Winterbourne Wind Farm project for the following reasons:
1. The Developer (Vestas and Copenhagen Infrastructure Group) have listened to the concerns expressed by the community and others as a result of the original EIS lodged in November 2022. As a result they have amended the EIS in order to minimise any adverse impacts on the environment and the community. These amendments include relocating some turbines, relocating the route to Walcha from the New England Highway to minimise traffic impacts, proposed the use of on-site gravel quarries and on-site bore water supplies to minimise the number of truck movements that will need to travel through Walcha.

2. The Developer has entered into a secure agreement regarding the decommissioning of the wind farm.

3. A VPA agreement has been signed between the Developer and Walcha & Uralla Councils to accept and manage the Community Benefit Funds that has been negotiated for this project.

4. This project will assist the beneficiaries of the superannuation fund to diversify their income and level out the volatile income that occurs during droughts and periods of low commodity prices

5. The most seriously impacted people in this development are the landowners themselves and the neighbouring farmers. The landowners are happy to put up with the inconveniences during construction and most of the impacted neighbours have signed neighbourhood agreements.

6. The anti-wind farm groups mostly consist of members who will not be seriously impacted by this development if at all.

7. The Winterbourne Wind Farm project will play its part in being able to help reduce green house gas emissions and assist the NSW Government to reach its net zero target by 2050.

8. Substantial income will flow to the participants in the project and to the community through the Community Benefit Fund and so stimulate Walcha’s local economy which will help local businesses survive. Our local Jockey Club only this week cannot get a committee together to keep it running for the future, our Ex-Services Club has closed and our Bowling Club is in financial stress. The jobs and financial stimulus that this project can bring to businesses in town has the potential to keep businesses and committees in a much healthier financial state.

9. The anti-renewable groups in the Walcha community state that they have MAJORITY support in the Community. At the recent local government Council elections, 6 members of the anti-groups stood for election on Council. 4 Candidates from the anti wind farm groups were elected to Walcha Council and they received a total of 33% of the primary vote from the 1945 people who voted. 67% of the community did not vote for them. This is a far more accurate assessment of the community sentiment than the flawed survey that was conducted in 2023 where they maintain that they are supported by 80% of the community. This project does have majority support of the Community.

The Winterbourne Wind Farm project will make a significant contribution to the NSW 2030 emissions reduction targets and also a significant positive impact on the economy of regional NSW. The project will create hundreds of jobs during construction and also long-term roles for the maintenance of the wind farm post-construction. I fully support this project as we must embrace renewable sources of energy if we are to curb the effects of global warming and climate change, so that we can be less reliant on fossil fuel and its associated pollutants. The local community will also greatly benefit from this project going ahead, especially with the establishment of the Community Benefit Fund.

I am non-associated neighbour and I object to this proposal. There are critical safety issues regarding partial blade failures which we now know have occurred in Australia and have been ignored in the original EIS and the new Amendment Report.

See attached.

I support the construction of additional wind electricity generation in NSW and specifically the Winterbourne Wind Farm. Wind generated electricity is an efficient, renewable form of electricity generation that produces 88 times less greenhouse gas emissions than electricity from coal and 40 times less greenhouse gas emissions than electricity from natural gas (source: https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy). In addition, wind electricity is 61 times safer than coal electricity generation and 7 times safer than natural gas electricity generation (same source).

Developing more wind generated electricity, and the Winterbourne Wind Farm in particular, provides the state of NSW with community benefits (e.g. the substantial Community Benefit Fund to be contributed by Winterbourne Wind Farm on approval), employment benefits, (400 jobs during construction, 16 long term roles), economic benefits (in the form of significant capital investment, flow on spending in regional NSW and cost effective electricity production), and environmental benefits (almost 2.2 million MWh of renewable electricity a year, which would contribute about 3% of NSW’s 2030 emissions reduction targets).

Winterbourne Wind Farm is exactly the kind of project I want to see the state of NSW supporting, both for the immediate benefits and the ongoing reduction of emissions.

I support the project as Walcha needs an injection of funds to ensure our Council remains financially independent as I fear if we do not have a council the accumulative effect will be devastating to Walcha. I believe in renewable energy and to be apart of the solution would be something to be proud of.

I fully support the Winterbourne Wind project. I feel Walcha being a small counrty town and a majority of the poulation in their later years is lacking in anything to bring new business and young families to the town. We get occasional tourism travel but there has been no growth in the 25 years I have been here. We have survived drought, bushfire time after time but that is the old time country folk refusing to give in.
I truly believe that new infustructure such as the Winterbourne Wind farm will bring workers, families and children to our town, businesses and schools. Also travellers to have a look at the new infrastructure. I have a small business in town and believe the only way our town will survive the next 20 years is a project on this scale. I have travelled throughout Europe and have never found the turbines offensive , actually the opposite. The footprint of the turbines is extremely small in relation to a same size KW solar farm. This is the way of the future and I fully believe the benefits of zero emmissions will benefit us far and wide. I have raised my young family in Walcha, and now all my grandchilden are in school/preschool here as well. I would hope that their future will be secure in a town that they love. A place they will always call home and never be in a rush to leave because of no work or opportunity. Thankyou.

I fully support the Winterbourne Wind Project (SSD-10471) & the amendments to the EIS.
This project will be vital in providing NSW's future energy needs by producing 730MW/PA & associated reduction in CO2 emissions.
Not only will it produce clean renewable energy but the economies of Walcha & the New England in general will benefit from the $1.9 billion capital investment that will bring increase in employment new business & industry to the Region.
A Community Benefit Gund for the Walcha & Uralla LGA's will deliver a Minimum of $750/PA plus $1000 for each MW in excess of 600MW. This fund will offer huge opportunities to these communities.
This is a much-needed Project & investment for Walcha & I fully support its approval.

We wish to object in the strongest possible way to the proposed Winterbourne Wind Project. We are David and Jane Moore and we live at 1W Jamieson Street, Walcha, NSW 2354.
Apart from believing that the project is too large (both in the number of turbines and their height) and is in the wrong place adjacent to Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and Wilderness Area and the subsequent impact on fragile flora and fauna, our main concern is the impact on us with increased traffic movements.
The proposed movement of 1655 over size over mass (OSOM)vehicles and their escorts which will travel down Thunderbolts Way from Uralla during the construction period (which has been extended from 30 months to 52 months) will cause havoc with local drivers and visitors alike. The road design (its width and surface) is far from adequate to cope with these huge vehicles and will present significant safety issues for road users. Also of concern for us is the impact it will have on the rapid and unhindered passage of emergency vehicles (police, ambulance and fire and rescue) along this stretch of road.
We are concerned about access to our property during the construction period. Will it require us to make medical/dental/legal etc appointments around the movement of OSOM vehicles. We live opposite the Walcha Preschool and are concerned how these vehicle movements will impact on the safe drop-off and pick-up of children.
Rental accommodation, both short and long term, is scarce in Walcha at the best of times. If a work force of 390 people during construction needs to be accommodated and can’t be in Walcha this will further exacerbate traffic congestion and the deterioration of the road surfaces on the Oxley Highway and Thunderbolts Way as workers travel from Tamworth or Uralla/Armidale to the project site.
In summing up, we feel that the Winterbourne Wind Project will have such a hugely negative impact on our beautiful town and surrounds that it should not proceed.
Thank-you for providing us with the opportunity to make this submission. David and Jane Moore

I object to this project. The environmental impact will be detrimental to the area. Wildlife & endangered species will be sacrificed. The local roads will not sustain the heavy vehicles needed to build this project.
The cons completely outweigh any benefits and the Community of Walcha will be severely damaged if this goes ahead.
We do not get any relevant answers from the potential developers. Very poor consultation processes
This project is completely WRONG for this Area, where is the required water coming from?, there would be high ecological impact, high Health impact, negative tourism impact, the visual impact would be disastrous The health of our natural ecology should not be for sale. There would be increased bush fire control risk, how would aerial support get to the National Park?
The whold proposal is just a money grabbing exercise and does not take our beautiful town into consideration at all.

The project will result in 1.9 billion dollars of capital investment in NSW and create nearly 400 jobs.

Wind Energy is far cheaper than new fossil fuel generation with none of the air, water, and land pollution associated with burning coal.

Australia needs to be approving and building more wind farms to achieve its de-carbonization targets to help mitigate climate change.

Winterbourne Wind does not have a social licence to proceed with their industrial wind development in Walcha. As a non-associated neighbour, I strongly object to the size and scale of the project. It is not in the public interest to approve this application.
There are many reasons. I highlight the following in the attached document:
• Change of transport route from Oxley Highway to Thunderbolt’s Way: not the solution, indeed much worse
• Environmental destruction and the negative impact on our biodiversity in order to situate a renewable energy project makes a mockery of the Australian and NSW government’s credentials in hosting the first Global Nature Positive Summit (8-10 October 2024).
• Encroaching renewable developments to be 10klm from Walcha township
• Cumulative Impacts
• Negative engagement

I support the project.

The wind farm proposal is disgraceful .
It should not be allowed as the environmental impact on the local habitat will destroy any Fauna.

I strongly support this project as it will help achieve our 2030 emission reduction targets

The project will provide a significant Community Benefit Fund: $1m upfront + at least $750,000 per year to support the Walcha and Uralla communities.
The wind farm will create nearly 400 jobs during construction, and 16 long-term local service and technician roles
With $1.9 billion capital investment, the project will see hundreds of millions spent in regional NSW, creating new jobs and skills in regional areas.
Wind energy is far cheaper than new fossil fuel generation, with none of the air, water, and land pollution associated with burning coal
This wind farm will single handedly provide about 3% of the NSW 2030 emissions reduction targets (relative to 2019 levels)