What is being proposed?

 

Fera Australia is proposing to construct a wind energy facility, referred to as the Seymour Wind Farm, in the area between Avenel, Longwood, Ponkeen Creek and Highlands. It will in fact impact districts across the unique and fragile Strathbogie Ranges including Caveat, Dropmore, Upton Hill, Highlands, Tarcombe.

 

Several additional districts will be impacted by the transmission line, although not yet finalised. These could include Molesworth, Ghin Ghin, Whiteheads Creek, Trawool, Kerrisdale and others.

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It is understood to comprise:

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• Construction of around 100 turbines with towers of 150 metres in height and blades of 80 metres in length.

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• The turbines proposed will be among the largest onshore turbines which would dwarf the existing Cherry Tree Wind Farm which has tower heights of only 91 metres and blade lengths of 68 metres.

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• Construction of up to 30km of new 330kV high voltage overhead transmission lines across private and crown land, to connect to the main Sydney-Melbourne transmission line somewhere around Alexandra and Murrindindi.

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• Development of infrastructure including substations, underground cabling, access tracks, concrete batching plants and an operations and maintenance facility.

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What We Know

 

• The proponent, Fera Australia, is a 100% foreign owned entity, with no known track record for delivering a project of this scale or scope. They have completed 20 very small renewable energy projects in Italy (none in Australia yet), the largest of these is 23.8 MW, with 7 turbines (compared with the 600MW, 100 turbines proposed for this project).

 

• The Project is not within a Federal government Renewable Energy Zone.

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• The Project is unlikely the highest and best use of land in this region. If approved, the project will require significant amounts of vegetation removal and ground disturbance across the region to construct.

 

Uncertainties

 

Currently we are uncertain of/and seek clarity upon;

• Exact position of proposed Turbines.

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• Alignment of proposed overhead power lines and detail of how and where they will connect to the grid.

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• Construction footprint and impacts to our local road network.

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• Future Expansion – it is possible that once all head-works and infrastructure is complete, that the Project could be extended across the region to increase return on investment.

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• The project is anticipated to progress toward submission of a Planning Permit over the next 2 to 3 years. Timelines of various studies that will be required remain unclear.