Submission for the Hunter Transmission Project – SSI-70610456
Please accept this submission regarding the EIS for the Hunter Transmission Project from the Centre for Conservation Science at the University of Newcastle. We have serious concerns about the proposed creation of the transmission line and placement of the Olney State Forest Switching Station due to the significant impact they will have on the Watagans population of endangered Littlejohn’s tree frog. Although we support the transition to renewables, we request that an alternative location be used for the switching station, and that further consideration be given to underground construction options.
We raise two main issues in this submission: 1) Failure of the EIS to adequately assess impacts of the proposal on the endangered Littlejohn’s frog, and 2) The prioritisation to reduce visual impact over threatened species impacts.
These points are addressed in further detail in the attached document.

In the document, we request:
a. An alternative site is used for the proposed Olney State Forest Switching Station
b. There is complete avoidance of all known Littlejohn’s tree frog habitat with a 2km buffer zone (breeding and terrestrial - determined through existing records and further expert elicitation)
c. Any further media or public outreach be transparent about the biodiversity impacts and clearly state that 66 threatened species will be negatively impacted by the southern route, and that offsetting will cost over $400 million.
d. That further consideration be given to underground options, at least in part to circumvent locations where there is the greatest trade-off occurring between public and biodiversity impacts.
e. That further consideration be given to placing the southern extent of the corridor (whether above or below ground), along existing transmission lines.

We conclude by saying: Transitioning to renewables is a crucial action to benefit future generations. But we cannot pay for this transition by robbing future generations of intact, functioning ecosystems and biodiversity (Hayward et al., 2022). Most threatened species persist in their remaining small habitat patches because there is something unique about that patch that supports their survival. And whilst there are a suite of conservation actions that may help a species, almost nothing is as important as protecting that irreplaceable patch.
The green transition needs to be green for all – humans and biodiversity – no compromise. The climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis are not separate issues. We are Australia, one of the most economically and naturally rich nations on earth. We can and must do better than this current transmission line plan.

Please refer to the attachment.

i support the project this will support the hunter valley and the future jobs

I fly gliders from David Parker Airfield, Warkworth, and the proposed transmission line passes close to the end of the runway. This is a major hazard. Gliders have struck transmission lines in NSW before and death is a likely outcome from such an event.

I strongly object to the proposed Hunter Transmission Project and the path identified in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Visual and Landscape Impact

My home in Millfield enjoys an uninterrupted 200-degree panorama of the surrounding mountain ranges. The proposed corridor will be fully visible from our property despite being more than 1.6 km away, yet EnergyCo’s assessment only considers residences within that narrow distance. The towering structures and cleared easements will permanently scar this beautiful landscape and diminish the character of our valley—something the EIS fails to recognise or address.

Use of Public Land

The plan to carve wide easements through the Watagans, Corrabare and Pokolbin State Forests represents an unacceptable appropriation of public land. These forests belong to all of us and are valued for recreation, biodiversity and cultural heritage. Large clearings will fragment habitat and diminish an asset that generations of locals and visitors have enjoyed.

Large-Scale Clearing

The proposal would destroy around 761 hectares of native vegetation even though an already-cleared transmission corridor exists only a few kilometres north near Neath. The community has had little genuine input into route selection. Such extensive clearing invites increased dumping, vandalism and unauthorised vehicle access.

Road Widening and Construction Impacts

Hundreds of roadworks, track upgrades and new access routes are planned, yet their ecological and community consequences are barely mentioned in the EIS. These activities bring long-term disturbance well beyond the main easement.

Biodiversity at Risk

The project threatens an extraordinary range of flora and fauna, including:

38 listed threatened plant species

28 threatened animals, plus several vulnerable bird and mammal species

irreversible harm to 16 hectares of habitat with eight threatened plants and seven threatened animals

Such losses in an already pressured region are unacceptable.

Gaps in Data and Community Consideration

Significant sections of private land remain unsurveyed, but EnergyCo treats these “blank” areas as if they have no ecological value. Properties that operate as wildlife care sanctuaries receive no meaningful acknowledgment despite their critical role in supporting local ecosystems. Likewise, the EIS fails to consider the stress and hardship inflicted on elderly and vulnerable residents who have faced aggressive acquisition tactics.

Illusory Offsets

EnergyCo’s plan to purchase more than 230,000 offset credits is not a real solution. Offsets are frequently unreliable and cannot replace the destruction of unique native bushland. The far better option is to utilise the pre-existing cleared corridor to the north.

Community and Safety Concerns

Daily movement of close to 1,000 heavy vehicles through small towns such as Millfield—seven days a week for a year or more—will place an unacceptable burden on our roads and residents. Temporary workers’ compounds will strain council resources without proper compensation.

Fire Risk

The EIS offers no serious assessment of increased fire danger. High-voltage lines can hinder firefighting aircraft, restrict equipment movement, and, if damaged in high winds, spark new fires. Additional access tracks will also make it easier for arsonists to enter remote bushland. EnergyCo provides no funding to improve local firefighting capacity.

Please see attached submission.