Community & Business
26 May, 2022
Forums to lift lid on wind farm project
The Danish company behind a $700m wind farm near Millmerran is preparing to talk to locals about the massive project in two forums next weekend.
Two drop-in sessions next weekend, June 3 and 4, will provide locals with a first look at the planned multi-million-dollar Captain’s Mountain Wind Farm at Millmerran.
The project is being developed by Danish company, Vestas, which specialises in sustainable energy and hopes to undertake the design, construction and ongoing operations of the wind farm 10km south-west of Millmerran.
The company proposes 56 turbines, each about 230 metres high, with a total planned capacity of approximately 380 megawatts.
The proposed project is expected to generate enough energy to power around 196,000 average Queensland homes a year and will feed into the national grid.
Project development manager Anna Sessink said the project would bring substantial investment into the region as well as around 200 jobs during
the construction phase and 10 during operation.
She said the farm would deliver renewable, low-cost energy to the national grid and contribute to the Queensland Governments target for 50 per cent renewable energy generation by 2030.
Vestas Community Liaison Officer Greg McNamara grew up in the Brookstead area and returned to Millmerran about five years ago after a couple of decades working away as an agronomist and in environmental relations roles with energy companies.
Mr McNamara said he was happy to be working back in the local community and seeing a lot of familiar faces.
He said the information sessions next weekend would be a chance for local people to call in and ask questions and learn about the project.
“There will be experts there from all facets of the wind farm so people can ask about anything to do with the project.”
Vestas is about to lodge an Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act Referral to the federal government, with the development application (State) expected to be ready for lodgement later in the year.
The turbines would be constructed on a series of properties leased from the land owners.
The construction phase could begin within three years and would likely take up to two years.
Two community drop-in sessions for locals to learn about the project will be held at the Mill Inn, 35 McKenzie Street, Millmerran from 3.30 to 6.30pm on Friday, June 3 and from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, June 4.
