I wish to provide my support for the Merino Solar Farm project currently under public exhibition. In my view, the proposal reflects careful planning, a responsible approach to land use, and a clear commitment to delivering long‑term benefits for the Goulburn region.
The project team has demonstrated thoughtful site selection by locating the solar farm at the end of the Goulburn Airport runway, an area that ensures compatibility with airport operations while avoiding any interference with areas identified for future town growth. This careful placement shows an understanding of local planning priorities and the importance of minimising land‑use conflict.
I also acknowledge the constructive engagement undertaken with neighbouring residents. The removal of 8 hectares of solar panels from the original design to prevent direct impacts demonstrates a meaningful response to community feedback. The inclusion of a benefit‑sharing program for nearby households provides an equitable opportunity for those living closest to the site to share in the advantages the project brings.
The scale of economic contribution associated with the Merino Solar Farm is significant. An investment exceeding $1 billion, coupled with the creation of more than 500 construction jobs and ongoing operational roles, will provide considerable economic stimulus to the Goulburn region. Such investment supports both immediate economic activity and longer‑term regional resilience.
Notably, the project also supports the continuation of existing agricultural operations. Agreements with host landowners ensure that sheep grazing, including long‑standing family farming practices, can continue beneath the solar panels. This dual‑use approach reinforces the compatibility between renewable energy generation and productive farmland.
Additionally, the project incorporates responsible end‑of‑life planning through funding arrangements that guarantee full site restoration once operations conclude. This commitment provides confidence that environmental and land‑use outcomes will be responsibly managed over the entirety of the project lifecycle.
Finally, the annual community benefit payments—$382,500 per year plus CPI over 35 years—represent a substantial and enduring contribution to the local community, supporting initiatives that can strengthen social, cultural, and economic wellbeing.
For these reasons, I support the approval of the Merino Solar Farm project and consider it a positive, forward‑looking development for the Goulburn region.

Please see attached PDF with full objection.

I object to this project chiefly on the grounds that it is an inappropriate use of excellent farm land.
It also visually affects the outlook of all adjacent properties in what is a medium density rural living environment.
It may well reduce the value of the rural living and farm properties adjacent to the development.
There are much more appropriate tracts of land in areas of lower population density that could readily be turned over to the important use of solar power production.

My objections as a resident of Goulburn to the proposed Gundary Solar project are as follows -

Location -
- This project will destroy the scenic quality and landscape character of Gundary Plains and destroy the very fabric of the Gundary community
- The project is within the Goulburn Regional zone and within the Goulburn City limits
- This land would be better suited to Hobby/Lifestyle property blocks
- Land such as this proposed project close to Goulburn will be urgenty required for future population residential growth within the city limits

The Site :
- The site is 7 square kilometres in the middle of over 60 homes.
- Most of the site is subject land under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 – see Regional Cities Map – Goulburn
- Goulburn is known for its wind but not for its daily solar exposure. This is confirmed by BOM data which shows Goulburn has 88.4 mean clear days/year (according to 35 years of BOM data).
- The site is immediately west of Bushfire Prone Land Vegetation Category 1 (High Risk).Fires are a risk on solar factories – panels, transformers, batteries, substation.The common prevailing bushfire winds are W & NW on the Gundary Plains where BP proposes to build this solar factory.

Fire Risk -
- A significant fire risk for neighbours particularly the eastern and southern sides of the proposed solar factory on Kooringaroo Road from panels, batteries and substation fires.
- There is hampered fire fighting capability on solar energy generation sites to fight any fires that start or burns onto these sites.
- Many residents of Kooringaroo Road, on the eastern side of the site, live on a no through road and have no mobile phone coverage and therefore unlikely to be able to escape.

Mental Health -
- There has been and continues to be extreme mental health issues being experienced by many badly affected landowners.
- BP classify this mental health as “stress and anxiety” and therefore has no desire to accept what its proposal is doing to peoples’ lives and livelihoods.

Property Devaluation :
- BP and its operatives continually deny that neighbouring properties would be devalued.
- A number of properties have been withdrawn from market
- One family could not stand anymore and sold – they suffered a 36% devaluation of their property.
- BP has refused to discuss compensation.
- Neighbours and near neighbours’ properties will be devalued.
- Property values of surrounding properties will be drastically reduced. A reduced property value may impact on some owners’ mortgages while others will see their “superannuation” tied up in their property reduced significantly. The net effect is the taking of capital off small people (current landholders) and transferring the benefits to city bankers and multi-national corporations.

Electromagnetic Radiation :
- A very large electricity facility - 740,000 solar panels, 154 inverters, 154 batteries, 30/330KV substation
- Exposure to electromagnetic radiation is unknown
- Impact on tractor GPS guidance and Drone guidance is unknown

Destroys The Natural Environment :
- to save the planet as most of the existing trees will be destroyed including 2000 planted by Greening Australia, the Australian River Restoration Centre and a previous landowner. This will remove 1700 acres of grassland over which the Gundary Wedge Tail Eagles hunt. If the Tirranniville solar factory is approved the Eagles will loose over 3000 acres of grassland hunting area in total. A considerable number of native animals are at risk – wombats, wedge tail eagles, reptiles and open woodland birds and a large variety of ducks and swans.

Local Jobs :
- BP lied when they kept on insisting that there would be 400 jobs for Goulburn. Based on their Scoping Report, Goulburn would be lucky to get 87 jobs during the 9 Month peak period of construction

Abandoned and/or Derelict site :
- Solar farms should be required to lodge a rehabilitation security deposit with the NSW Government to cover estimated rehabilitation costs otherwise you and your children may be carrying the burden of the costs of rehabilitation through your taxes.
- There is no guarantee that the current solar farm Developers or Owners or Land holders will be around at the end of life of the facilities and there is nothing stopping the last company owning a facility going into liquidation, thus leaving no funds for decommissioning, remediation and rehabilitation and leaving the taxpayer the cost.

SOCIAL LICENCE :
- BP and Lightsourcebp have NO SOCIAL LICENCE

I strongly object to the Merino Solar Farm Proposal and any amendments they may make to it. I have these objections due to this proximity to the proposed solar installation and due to its various serious effects as outlined in my submission.

Our property, "Silver Lining" 48 Faithfull Lane, Quialigo 2580, is only a few kilometres SE of the nearest point of the proposed Merino Solar installation.

I have attached my submission.

I am writing to express my support for the Merino Solar Farm Project proposed in Goulburn, NSW. This project represents an important step in accelerating Australia's clean energy transition: helping to lower costs, enhance energy security, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for current and future Australians. It demonstrates the vital contribution that regional hubs like Goulburn can make in addressing energy challenges, given its location along key transmission corridors connecting major load centres; in this case, Snowy Hydro, Canberra, and Sydney.

The Merino Solar Farm will make a significant contribution to both State and National Renewable Energy Targets. NSW has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, and large-scale solar projects such as this are critical to reducing our reliance on ageing fossil fuel assets. A project of this scale in NSW can avoid up to 500,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, by displacing electricity that would otherwise be generated by fossil fuels.

The Merino Solar Farm will use Goulburn’s abundant solar resource to power approximately 200,000 homes while providing reliable and dispatchable electricity via the co-located battery particularly during evening peaks to reduce load and pressure on the system. By introducing a substantial local generation source, the project will add strength and security to the electricity grid in the Southern Tablelands.

The development phase of the Merino Solar Farm is expected to create substantial local employment opportunities. This includes construction jobs, ongoing maintenance roles, and business for local suppliers and contractors. The project has also been designed to be compatible with the surrounding rural landscape character. While solar arrays occupy the land, it allows for potential co-use such as sheep grazing underneath the panels which can maintain the site’s agricultural value while contributing to clean power generation.

The approval of the Merino Solar Farm Development Application is a valuable opportunity for Goulburn and NSW to take another tangible step toward a more sustainable, and economically diverse future. The Project has already been awarded a revenue underwriting contract under the Federal Government's Capacity Investment Scheme in October 2025. It aligns with the State’s and Federal Government's energy strategy and supports the energy transition we urgently need.

For these reasons, I encourage the NSW Planning Panel to approve the Merino Solar Farm Project.

e-mail change to soils"soilmaster.com
Dreadful EIS that does not comply with SEAR's.
I have reviewed over 200 EIS's over the year's and this does NOT achieve pass grade. Only an "E"