Press Releases
20.08.23 - The truth about Chalumbin wind development
6.07.23 - Koalas and Greater Gliders in the firing line for Queensland’s renewables rollout
13.05.23 - Labor’s new green hydrogen Bill definitely won’t safeguard our natural wonders
14.03.23 - Australian Ethical offloaded Lendlease. Will Vestas now shelve Lotus Creek wind farm?
17.06.22
Proposed Chalumbin windfarm may wipe out entire FNQ bat species if approved
Windfarms are known to kill birds and raptors. But did you know they are far more deadly for bats?
Mt Emerald windfarm on the Atherton Tablelands is estimated to have killed around 430 bats last year, including 7 critically imperiled Spectacled Flying Foxes, as detailed in Ratch’s 2021 EPBC Compliance report:
The majority of bats killed were Northern Freetail bats, whose numbers in the wild are not known, but are now rapidly diminishing thanks to barotrauma and turbine strike from Atherton Tablelands’ Mt Emerald and Windy Hill windfarms.
Consider this: Kaban Green Power Hub will see the introduction of 28 more windturbines into the area, on top of Mt Emerald’s 53 turbines and Windy Hill’s 20. And if Chalumbin windfarm is approved, that will mean 94 additional turbines, adding up to a total of 195 wind turbines all within range on the Atherton Tablelands.
The upshot: a catastrophic impact on FNQ bats.
We could reach a significant mortality event of 100 Spectacled Flying Fox deaths a year thanks to the cumulative impacts of wind turbines on the Atherton Tablelands if Chalumbin windfarm goes ahead.
Northern Freetail Bats, may be killed in the hundreds annually as well as the other species of bat that come into fatal contact with the windturbines. (USA are currently facing the extinction of the Hoary Bat thanks to an endless expansion of windfarms.)
States Rainforest Reserves Australia President Carolyn Emms “On conservation grounds, it's imperative that we stop Chalumbin windfarm. We must also stop the march of windfarms Mt Fox, Upper Burdekin and Desailly along the ridgelines of NQ’s Great Dividing Range. Now is the time we must stand up for our nature. Once it’s gone, it’s not coming back.”
The PER for Chalumbin windfarm is expected to be released any day, and Rainforest Reserves is encouraging every conservationist in Australia to respond.
2.06.22
Chalumbin windfarm may wipe out remaining Koalas of Atherton Tablelands
Koalas are notoriously difficult to spot. However, recent footage and images of Koalas found near the site of the Kaban Green Power Hub have been sent to Rainforest Reserves Australia by a concerned Ravenshoe resident who is adamant they should be made public.
Koalas are known to inhabit the southern end of the Atherton Tablelands, however they do not appear to be documented by Kaban Green Power Hub or Chalumbin wind proponents in any environmental surveys submitted to Government.
Cumulative impacts of habitat clearance for windfarms on the Atherton Tablelands may mean Koalas starve to death
Taking into account cumulative impacts from large-scale habitat clearance for Kaban Green Power Hub, the proposed Chalumbin windfarm, if approved, may spell doom for vulnerable FNQ Koala populations. Queensland Koalas require access to a wide range of Eucalypt forest to survive. If habitat is cleared, as it will be for the proposed large scale renewable wind development Chalumbin, Koalas may lose a select group of trees which provide food. Koalas will also be impacted by newly cleared access roads cleared to transport turbines – some of which can be 125 metres wide. Roads can act as a barrier for Koalas and are responsible for countless Koala fatalities all over Australia.
Wind turbine sounds may impact Koala breeding
Koala biologist Roger Martin states “Koalas are solitary animals and occur in low abundance in this forest. In the breeding season the females locate distant males from their low frequency nocturnal bellowing. Wind turbines also emit a substantial amount of low frequency sound, and my fear is that this will mask the bellows of male koalas and disrupt the koala breeding season. Low frequency sound can be heard from a long distance away and these turbines are abutting the most biologically diverse forests in Australia. No consideration has been given to the impact of this noise pollution on koalas or on any of the other wildlife species living here.”
Critically endangered Koalas should not be sacrificed for the proposed Chalumbin windfarm
“Koalas are now an Endangered species and since it’s likely they inhabit Chalumbin, we think that warrants that the wind development be rejected outright. Already crucial Far North Queensland Koala populations are being impacted by the construction of Kaban Renewable Energy Hub.” states Emms.
“It’s even more vital now that cooler, high altitude forested regions such as Chalumbin remain intact to provide a refuge for wildlife such as Koalas that are experiencing the effects of a warming climate elsewhere.” argues Emms.
19.05.22
Just who is flying this plane? Queensland conservationists and nature betrayed
A study just released by Martin Taylor, an adjunct senior lecturer at the University of Queensland, alarmingly reveals that Queensland has been cleared at almost twice the rate reflected in national greenhouse emissions reporting.
The study of data from Queensland’s statewide landcover and tree study (Slats) shows 455,756 hectares of forests were cleared across the state in 2018-19, almost double the 245,767 hectares reported to the national carbon accounting system at the time.
The Queensland Government cannot be trusted to properly oversee land-clearing, nor can we assume they will make decisions in the best interests of conservation. Land clearing is set to increase with the introduction of the QREZ policy, where, according to the QREZ map, (https://yoursayhpw.engagementhq.com/understand-qrez) almost half of the state has been given over to “Renewable Energy Zones”.
In the bid to conserve high biodiversity, high altitude habitat of North Queensland, Rainforest Reserves Australia has been strongly campaigning against the proposed Chalumbin windfarm, Mount Fox, Upper Burdekin and Desailly windfarms.
“Half of Queensland can effectively be cleared for wind and solar developments. No consideration has been given to the cumulative impact of so much habitat loss.” Argues Carolyn Emms, President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“We are an international disgrace. At every level, Government has failed to protect the Queensland landscapes that offers safe haven to countless species of wildlife. Now we have the new threat of clear-felling for vast wind and solar developments all along the Western side of North Queensland’s Great Dividing Range, yet more land clearing. This is remnant habitat that is superior in storing carbon and must be conserved.” Stated Carolyn Emms, President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“I find it the height of hypocrisy that the Government lists 100 wildlife species that are to be the focus of conservation efforts (https://www.awe.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/publications/100-priority-species) , all the while allowing their homes to be bulldozed by foreign-owned industrial renewable energy corporations. This habitat must be protected.” argues Emms.
“Clearly the Government needs to put two and two together. Forests, woodlands and grasslands are natural carbon sinks, particularly old growth forest. In the bid to fight climate change, we need to leave these wild places in North Queensland alone and not clear them for wind and solar farms” argues Emms.
Atherton-based environmental scientist Pamela Jones has become a vocal ally in the bid to conserve habitat threatened by wind and solar developments. She states: “Forests are giant carbon and water storage batteries. Why discharge greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by land clearing and lose all the benefits forests provide in the mitigation of climate change? When they are gone, we lose all the carbon sequestration and cooling they do every day. Natural forests do this better than plantation forests.
By clearing forest to build wind farms, we lose a very substantial proportion of the carbon savings we would make by siting them elsewhere. Much of what we gain in lower carbon emissions from windpower, we lose by destroying forest.”
Rainforest Reserves Australia holds monthly meetings to inform the public about the threat to habitat from large-scale wind and solar developments proposed along the Great Dividing Range. Find out more at www.rainforestreserves.org.au
17.05.22
Proposed windfarms threaten the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage Wet Tropics Area
On Sunday May 15, Rainforest Reserves Australia welcomed community members to a public meeting titled “Rethinking Renewables and their ecological impacts”. Keynote speaker environmental scientist Pamela Jones explored the way numerous proposed windfarms along the western side of the Dividing Range in North Queensland may impact wildlife, water cycles, microclimates and more. So far, Chalumbin windfarm, Upper Burdekin windfarm, Mt Fox windfarm and Desailly Energy Park are all in the pipeline to be approved on areas of high ecological significance in North Queensland, in close proximity or adjacent to the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
“Projects like Chalumbin lie on the head waters of the river catchments of the Wet Tropics Area. Hundreds of kms of unsealed 70 metre-wide roads that cross waterways have the potential to dump sediment and other pollutants down rivers through areas of World Heritage Rain Forest and cane farms out to the Great Barrier Reef. Farmers fear they will be blamed. There is no provision under the EBPC Act to consider any type of off-site impact. Water quality is not considered.” states Pamela Jones, environmental scientist.
Old growth forests are not just beautiful, but natural storers of carbon
“Forests are giant carbon and water storage batteries. Why discharge greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by land clearing and lose all the benefits forests provide in the mitigation of climate change? When they are gone, we lose all the carbon sequestration and cooling they do every day. Natural forests do this better than plantation forests.” argues Jones.
“By clearing forest to build wind farms, we lose a very substantial proportion of the carbon savings we would make by siting them elsewhere. Much of what we gain in lower carbon emissions from wind power, we lose by destroying forest. We also lose our irreplaceable biodiversity, Aboriginal cultural heritage, and tourist jobs in areas of high importance. High quality patches of remnant forest are rare and precious, and some windfarm project areas were being planned for inclusion in National Parks.” states Jones.
Could we lose rainfall from windfarms?
“Loss of forest on mountain tops will lessen rainfall and lead to more droughts and flooding. While one project may have almost negligible impact on weather, more and more wind farms are proposed. A major failing of the EBPC Act is the absence of assessment of cumulative impacts. The windfarm projects change the land use from forest to major industrial, permitting major extensions to each project being possible with much less assessment. This will impact on both our World Heritage listed Wet Tropical Forests and Great Barrier Reef while drying our inland agricultural lands to the west.” states Jones.
28.04.22
Industrialising Queensland’s Great Dividing Range: A dangerous precedent is set
There are very few legislative barriers to stop a multinational energy company gaining a foothold on our high biodiversity land. Once a renewable energy proposal is approved by council, State Code 23 is the only requirement a proposal needs to adhere to gain State approval.
What exactly is State Code 23?
Queensland Government’s State Code 23 is a flimsy piece of legislation that doesn’t lay out any specific requirements for proponents in terms of how a wind farm can impact a landscape. “No acceptable outcomes” are given for the siting of a wind development on landscape. Between the lines, this reads as “do your best not to destroy the nature, but if you do, oh well.” Such toothless State guidelines enable wind proponents to gain prompt approval for outright habitat destruction.
“Having worked in the building industry for many years, I know it takes at least 2 years to gain Material Change of Land Use approval to rezone a piece of land from Residential to Commercial. It’s a tough and rigorous process because the State needs to weigh up what is in the public interest. It’s wrong that wind developments can be fast-tracked to gain easy approvals to destroy our landscapes. Rezoning Pastoral landscape to Industrial for renewable energy developments is not in the public interest.” states Carolyn Emms.
Once a piece of land is rezoned to Industrial, it opens the floodgates for industry to come in and pillage. The protections afforded to flora and fauna under a Pastoral zoning are thrown out. Renewable energy proponents can trash our high biodiversity landscapes as all boxes have been ticked. Proponents can even apply to access water onsite, excavate, or transform the use of the site to mining and other heavy industrial extractive purposes.
“Changing a property’s zoning from Pastoral to Industrial heralds the demise of that landscape. You may as well kiss it goodbye. Once it’s rezoned, any corporation can come in and plunder it. The land will likely never be rezoned back to Pastoral again.” says Emms.
Even if Pastoral land contains EPBC-listed Vulnerable and Endangered flora and fauna, this is no protection against a renewable wind development. Once approvals pass by State, the decision to approve a wind farm rests only with the Federal Environment Minister. Historically, most renewable energy proposals are approved - even Kaban Green Energy Hub, previously vetoed by the Federal Government, subsequently gained approval in 2020. Either way, wind farm developers enjoy a smooth ride to approvals.
“When it comes to renewable energy developments on our Great Dividing Range, it’s important we don’t have policy on the run. Our beloved Australian landscapes are at stake. We can’t let them be destroyed thanks to sloppy legislation that fails to protect Pastoral land. Pastoral landscapes are perhaps the most biodiverse in Australia – National and State Parks come nowhere near to the millions of hectares of high biodiversity land that is privately owned. We need policy that reflects the ecological significance of Pastoral land and protects it.” Says Emms.
“If people knew that Queensland landscapes containing Koalas, Quolls, Sharman’s Rock-Wallabies, Greater Gliders, Red Goshawks and Magnificent Broodfrogs and countless other species of Aussie wildlife were destined to be destroyed for a wind farm they would stand up and say No. But most people have no idea what is going on. The renewables industry is shrouded in secrecy. And it enjoys a free pass from all levels of Government.” says Emms.
27.04.22
Tully community meeting sounds the alarm over silent march of wind farms along NQ Dividing Range
On Saturday 23rd of April, Rainforest Reserves Australia hosted a community information event in Tully about the ecological impacts of the proposed large-scale wind and solar developments in Far North Queensland. Despite the extreme wet weather, the meeting was well attended by over 80 community members including Jirrbal and Gulngay Elders.
Speakers outlined the potential ecological devastation instore if Upper Burdekin, Mt Fox, Desailly and Chalumbin renewable energy developments are approved. He explained there were many other renewable developments that the public are unaware of now sitting with Federal Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley awaiting approval.
“Most proposed renewable energy developments go straight down the Dividing Range, with high-elevation ridge lines targeted by wind developers. North Queensland’s Dividing Range remains mostly untouched and offers vital habitat to wildlife who have been pushed out elsewhere by habitat clearance and a warming climate. So we are very concerned about the cumulative impacts of high-altitude habitat loss.” argued speaker Steven Nowakowski.
”We’ve got Mt Emerald (operational), Kaban Green Power Hub (under construction), Chalumbin (proposed), Atherton Solar (proposed), Chewko Road, Mareeba Solar Farm, Cape York Solar Storage, Lakeland wind farm (awaiting construction), High Road wind development (proposed), Forsayth wind development (proposed), the Windy Hill upgrade (proposed) and Mt Fox (proposed) and Upper Burdekin (proposed) wind developments. There are also projects in Queensland we are just finding out about – it’s very hard to keep up” says Nowakowski.
”Whilst some individual projects are to be installed on cleared land, others are to be placed on high-biodiverse remnant growth, intact forest and woodland habitat. The cumulative habitat loss will be catastrophic for our Vulnerable and Endangered wildlife such as Greater Gliders, Sharman’s Rock Wallabies and Koalas. Habitat loss will also negatively impact our water cycles and our old-growth forests superior ability to store carbon.” stated Nowakowski.
“Desailly Wind and Solar Energy Park is symptomatic of the secrecy surrounding renewable developments. No one knows about Desailly, and it’s going through the system without any community awareness. It’s a huge solar and wind park set to be installed on the McLeod River near Mt Carbine. We happened to be going through the Council Minutes of Mareeba Shire Council and found by chance an item called “The Desailly Wind and Solar Energy Park”. It was a 200 page document full of weasel words about energy generation. There were no figures within to indicate how much land was to be cleared. Brooklyn Nature Refuge, one of the highest biodiversity habitats in Australia, is directly adjacent to the proposed Desailly development.”
”There’s been no opportunity for residents to comment on the Desailly proposal. In this case, it was actually the CEO of Mareeba Shire Council, using his delegated authority to sign off on it. So only one person in council signed off on it. Now it’s gone to the State level and will just go through the system without anyone knowing about it until it’s under construction.” argued Nowakowski.
Material Change of Land Use approvals are granted by council with long term consequences for previously Pastoral landscapes. A Material Change of Land Use approval can open up the floodgates for heavy industry to access Pastoral land, some of the highest biodiversity landscape in Australia. Mining, dams, unfettered water access and other heavy industrial extractive uses may occur if landscapes are reclassified.
”It’s frightening that Pastoral Leases – 60,000 hectares, 80,000 hectares, 100,000 hectares - can get converted to industrial energy use. Suddenly 20,000 hectares is clear-felled for a wind farm, another 10,000 hectares is dedicated to hydrogen production and basically the landscape changes from primary production to industrial energy. What is even more frightening is then proponents seek to export energy overseas. So it’s not only for domestic energy consumption, it’s energy to send to places like Singapore and Hong Kong. Traditional Owners and all Australians are losing our biodiversity so a few billionaires can export “clean green” energy to other nations. This is not in the public interest.” stated Nowakowski.
Rainforest Reserves Australia argue that a Moratorium urgently needs to be placed on all proposed renewable developments in Queensland until State and Federal laws can ensure:
Renewable developments won’t be placed on landscapes containing EPBC listed wildlife and vegetation
Renewable developments won’t be placed on high quality agricultural land
That impacted local communities are made fully aware of renewable development proposals and offered a real say on whether projects proceed.
EPBC laws are tightened to ensure species vulnerable to extinction are protected unequivocally from habitat loss.
Instant approvals are not automatically granted by councils for Material Change of Use from Pastoral to Industrial and laws are strengthened around this.
8.04.22
Just madness: Losing FNQ’s high biodiverse forests to “green” energy developments
Far North Queensland’s remnant forests and woodlands are at risk like never before, all in the name of “green” energy. Some of our most biodiverse landscapes are now being cleared for an industrial scale wind farm, with more large-scale industrial wind developments in the wings.
Foreign-owned Kaban Green Power Hub, currently under development on the Atherton Tablelands, is undertaking extensive land-clearing to facilitate the installation of 28 large-scale wind turbines. Wildlife may be relocated, maimed, injured or killed. Vital habitat is lost and fragmented, impacting the breeding cycles and behaviour of some wildlife. Feral pests like dogs, cats and pigs now have easy access to wildlife thanks to the creation of vast haulage roads created to lay the turbine footings.
The Ravenshoe region, which includes Kaban, is home to 532 species of wildlife including Koalas, Tree Kangaroos and Northern Greater Gliders. 271 species of birdlife live here.
“Kaban is one of the most biodiverse regions in Australia and not an appropriate location for an industrial scale wind development. To say this project is “green” is a clear case of “greenwashing” corporate spin” states Carolyn Emms, President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“Whilst private landowners might desire wind developments, the impact to Far North Queensland landscapes of national and global significance is too great. Wind developers have no social, cultural or environmental license to destroy our wilderness for “green” energy. Our future generations must be able to see these landscapes.” states Emms.
Proponents for the following wind developments are in the process of gaining Gov approvals:
· Chalumbin wind development (soon to be owned by Ark Energy, a subsidiary of Korea Zinc)
94 industrial-scale wind turbines to be placed south west of Ravenshoe, Atherton Tablelands across a 78,000 acre land parcel. Adjacent to Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
· Mt Fox Energy Park (a joint venture between Tasmania-based Zephyr Energy Developments, and local landowners Brett and Eric Lollo.)
57 industrial-scale wind turbines proposed to be placed across 7,941 acres of land approximately 100km NW of Townsville, near Mt Fox.
· Desailly Renewable Energy Park (Irish-owned DP Energy)
Industrial-scale wind and solar farm to be located on the Northern end of Atherton Tablelands adjacent to Australian WIldlife Conservancy's Brooklyn Sanctuary.
· Kaban Green Power Hub (French-owned Neoen)
Currently under-construction on the Atherton Tablelands, 28 industrial-scale wind turbines are being installed on high biodiverse intact forest.
· High Road wind development (Thai-owned Ratch)
20 industrial-scale wind turbines proposed for the Southern End of the Atherton Tablelands.
· Upper Burdekin wind development (Australian-owned Windlab)
136 industrial-scale wind turbines proposed to be placed on remnant vegetation. Located approximately 150km east of Greenvale and 70km inland from Ingham in North Queensland.
“Most Australians have no idea that our wild places are being cleared for inappropriately located wind developments. They would agree that our precious biodiverse landscapes must not be sacrificed for wind farms. Once these landscapes are gone, they’re not coming back .” states Emms.
Rainforest Reserves Australia is holding an community information event “Not all Renewables are created equal” on April 23rd 1pm- 3pm at Tully State High School, 59337 Bruce Highway, Tully Qld 4854.
10.03.22
Kaban’s serrated wind turbine blades reveal the horror of what’s in-store for birds and bats
Serrated wind turbine blades destined for Kaban Green Power Hub have been spotted in Ravenshoe. The serration is a design feature intended to assist with speed and noise reduction. No offset technology is to be installed to prevent the “sharpened” blades from impacting birds and bats. Instead, only ongoing “monitoring” will be used to keep score of wildlife fatalities from wind turbines.
It's well-documented that wind turbines are catastrophic to bird and bat life. Placing wind turbines in high-biodiverse Kaban will result in:
· Native birds and bats being killed from spinning turbines (which can reach speeds of up to 300km per hour)
· Bats being killed from barotrauma (shifting pressure around wind turbines)
· Both birds and bats dying from impact with newly installed electrical power lines around the wind development.
Recent technology exists such as IdentiFlight that can mitigate against bird and bat death with a high success rate. At Kaban sadly these state of the art technologies will not be employed.
“Identiflight or similar technology should be installed on Kaban wind turbines. We can’t afford to lose any more endangered and vulnerable bird and batlife. Simply monitoring bird and bat deaths until they reach an arbitrary number before action is taken is not acceptable. Bird and bat deaths should be prevented from the outset.” States Carolyn Emms, President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“Kaban’s wind turbines should be shut down overnight as soon as Kaban’s wind turbine operation commences. This would go someway in mitigating against wildlife fatalities.” states Emms.
“The proponent French-owned Neoen should redirect some of their annual profit towards deploying appropriate technology to prevent our bird and bat death. Paying for up-to-date tech to prevent wildlife fatalities is the least they can do for the high biodiverse region of Kaban.” Argues Emms.
10.02.22
Chalumbin Wind Farm proponents Epuron experience not-so-warm welcome to Ravenshoe
Ravenshoe community members made their views heard on Tuesday 9th February when Epuron representatives attended the small town to host Information Sessions about the proposed Chalumbin wind development. Community members staged a peaceful protest on Grigg Street to voice their opposition to the proposed Chalumbin Wind farm.
“The local Ravenshoe community are protesting against the proposed Chalumbin renewable wind development because they feel a deep affinity with the nature that surrounds them. Thanks to Mt Emerald and the Kaban Green Power Hub (currently under construction), they know first-hand the violence involved in constructing a wind farm. This region is one of the most biodiverse areas in Australia. 200 species have been documented by the proponent on the Chalumbin land parcel, and there are likely many more. It’s madness that this development should even be canvassed.” States Carolyn Emms, President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“Blunder Creek runs through the proposed Chalumbin wind farm. The question of where the water will go, should Epuron gain access to this land, has been raised. Many small streams and soaks form on the landscape here, all flowing toward the Herbert River catchment. Water is a valuable global resource and increasingly sought after. That Epuron aka Ark Energy, a subsidiary of foreign-owned multinational Korea Zinc, has access to this land for 30 years, means they potentially have access to our water for 30 years.” states Emms.
“The issue of water pollution also looms when we consider that Blunder Creek forms part of the Herbert River catchment which runs straight out to the Great Barrier Reef. Heavy industrial contaminants such as oil or diesel could enter the waterways and end up on the reef.”
THE CLAIM: Epuron argues that the footprint of the Chalumbin wind development is relatively small.
THE FACTS: If successful, Chalumbin wind development will be located on a 78,000 land parcel where 2,700 acres of primarily remnant vegetation will be razed to make way for 94 wind turbines. 174 kilometres of haulage roads will be created, on average 70m wide. Chalumbin wind farm will border the ecologically globally significant World Heritage Wet Tropics Area. Chalumbin is culturally significant to the Traditional Owners, the Jirrbal people. This is not a small development by any definition, even by Australian wind farm standards.
Epuron is doing everything it can to get this approval over the line, including offering money to community groups. This is causing division in the community. We argue no money could ever compensate for the loss of priceless wilderness and wildlife. The final decision will soon rest with Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley. It is expected that if approved, the proponent will commence construction in late 2022.
27.01.22
“Green” wind blows ill on the wilderness and wildlife of Kaban
Wind turbines destined for the previously vetoe-ed Kaban wind farm are now being transported from Cairns Port to Kaban. The site of Kaban Green Power Hub, a 28 wind turbine development, is located on the Southern end of the Atherton Tablelands, near Ravenshoe, Far North Queensland.
Kaban is a high-biodiversity area home to threatened and vulnerable species Ghost Bats, Greater Gliders, Spectacled Flying Foxes and Magnificent Broodfrogs as well as a wide variety of iconic wildlife including birdlife, bats, possums and reptiles.
“Hundreds of acres of habitat have already been cleared for Kaban wind development. Once the turbines are installed, we will lose yet more wildlife. Raptors fly into wind turbines and bats lungs literally explode due to pressure shifts around the rotating blades.” states Carolyn Emms, President Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“Our wildlife do not understand wind turbines. They have not evolved alongside wind turbines and they do not comprehend the speed at which the blades turn. These blades are 72 metres long and weigh 32 tonnes – what chance do our birds and bats have?” states Emms.
“Kaban Green Power Hub is set to be located on valuable high-biodiversity wilderness. This landscape is no place for an industrial large scale wind development. It’s an abuse of the term “green”.” states Emms.
The proliferation of wind farms on the Tablelands will likely be catastrophic for the tourist industry, already struggling due to the pandemic. Argues Emms “No one wants to visit our high-biodiversity paradise and see a wind farm in the middle of it.”
“We already have Mt Emerald and Windy Hill. Now just down the road we have Kaban, the proposed Chalumbin wind farm and the proposed High Road wind farm. If all projects go through, that’s at least 213 wind turbines located within a stone’s throw of each other on the Atherton Tablelands.” States Emms.
“Environmental Impact Assessments are paid for by renewable energy developers. That’s like paying off your driving instructor to pass your driving test. This is a compromised process. We don’t trust that they tell the full story of all the wildlife at risk.” Argues Emms.
The Kaban wind turbines have been built in China. In December 2021, cracks were discovered in another shipment of turbines made in China bound for Stockyard Hill in Victoria’s central highlands. “Wind turbines should, at the very least, be made in Australia” states Emms.
17.01.22
Korea Zinc receive $21 million of Gov funding to produce Green Hydrogen in Townsville destined for South Korea
Korea Zinc has received $21 million in Federal and State funding to build a renewable-powered green hydrogen plant, dubbed SunHQ Hydrogen Hub in Townsville. The Australian subsidiary of Korea Zinc, Ark Energy recently acquired Epuron for an undisclosed sum of money in a deal that will give it access to a potential 9 gigawatts of wind and solar generation.
“It’s baffling that the Australian government, both State and Federal, have provided $21 million tax-payer dollars to Korea Zinc, a billion dollar multinational mining corporation, to fund a green hydrogen development in Townsville. They’ve been granted the privilege of using Townsville Port and plundering our natural resources for renewable energy to produce their green hydrogen, only to plan on shipping it back to South Korea.” States Carolyn Emms. President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“This is further evidence that the new renewables economy isn’t about the production of renewable energy to be produced and then used by residential households in Australia, as the hype would have us believe. Instead, it’s about corporate green-washing, global energy proliferation and industrial expansion on a planet currently in a state of ecological collapse.” States Emms.
“Ark Energy will now reap the rewards of Epuron’s extensive pipeline of renewables projects, potentially destroying our wilderness with renewable developments for energy to be used to produce green hydrogen bound for Asia. How much of Ark Energy’s Australian-produced renewable energy will go back to Aussie households, as promoted? It is clearly going to industry.”
“Both State and Federal governments are invested in the outcome of Epuron’s, now Ark Energy’s, renewable development plans. We fear for the fate of the wildlife and wilderness of Chalumbin, Ravenshoe, slated to become a 94 turbine wind development owned by Ark Energy. We must conserve our habitat and wilderness now more than ever, and not sacrifice it for offshore profit.”
Rainforest Reserves Australia is a Not-For-Profit conservation organisation campaigning against renewable developments being placed on high biodiverse habitats of Far North Queensland.
12.01.22
Sacrificing our priceless wilderness for profit - The acquisition of wind farm developer Epuron by Korea Zinc
On the 23rd of December it was announced that Ark Energy, an Australian subsidiary of Korea Zinc, would acquire Epuron, the company behind the proposed Chalumbin wind farm.
If approved, the Chalumbin wind development will see 94 wind turbines and 146 km of access roads installed on 2,700 acres of primarily remnant wilderness.
Wind farms are quite familiar to Tablelanders now. Ratch, a Thai company, facilitated the Mt Emerald wind development. Ratch also operate Windy Hill wind farm, now slated to be expanded. Neoen, a French company, is developer behind Kaban Green Power Hub, currently in construction on the southern Atherton Tablelands. Now Epuron has been acquired by Ark Energy, a subsidiary of Korea Zinc. Desailly Energy Park (currently at proposal stage) is headed up by DP Energy, an Irish owned corporation.
“All the wind developments on the Tablelands are foreign owned. It should worry Australians that multinational corporations are getting access to our land and clearing our precious wilderness for profit.” states Carolyn Emms, president of Rainforest Reserves Australia.
“The acquisition of Epuron may place further pressure on the Federal Government to approve ecologically devastating heavy industrial projects, like the Chalumbin wind development, to keep global investors keen to capitalise on our natural riches. Do these foreign-owned companies even pay any Australian tax?” states Emms.
“Our biodiversity is priceless and must not be sacrificed for industry. We must stop the encroachment of heavy industry on our Far North Queensland wilderness.” States Emms.
If the Chalumbin wind development proceeds, species such as the Magnificent Broodfrog and the Greater Glider, both listed as Vulnerable, will be placed at risk from habitat loss. Numerous other aerial species risk death from impact with rapidly rotating turbine blades (typically around 216km per hour) whilst ground-dwellers must attempt to survive in fragmented, degraded or cleared habitat.
12.01.2022
Why we can’t trust Environmental Impact Assessments provided by developers seeking to plunder our FNQ wilderness
The proposed southern Tablelands Chalumbin wind development and numerous other large-scale renewable energy developments planned for Far North Queensland require thousands of acres of remnant wilderness, intact forest and grasslands to be cleared for the installation of wind turbines, solar panels and batteries.
Government assures us that the requisite environmental impact assessment process undertaken by developers seeking to clear our landscapes is accurate, objective and agenda-free so vital habitat will be protected. But new research shows this is not always the case[i].
Environmental Impact Assessments, undertaken to generate MNES reports (Matters of National Environmental Significance) must be submitted for developments to gain Federal approval.
“In Australia, you’d think the assessment of the ecological values of potentially impacted landscapes would be independent to weed out bias or corruption. But developers are required to contract private companies to undertake ecological surveys themselves. Developers essentially enter into a client relationship with their environmental surveyors.” States Emms.
“For example, Attexo, the environmental assessors behind the MNES (Matters of National Environmental Significance) report for Chalumbin wind development, openly pride themselves as “maximising project success and stakeholder satisfaction”[ii] on their website.” states Emms.
Allowing the developer to pay for Environmental Impact Assessments is a conflict of interest. This was clearly illustrated in a case in North Queensland in 2018 when the private EIA consultant publicly defended a major resort development, KURworld, that they were contracted to provide a survey for[iii].
“Any heavy industrial developments in Far North Queensland which require EIAs / MNES surveys for habitat clearance should be halted.” argues Emms.
“We suspect reports to be full of gaps. There is no independent governance verifying the content of reports, ie: no “fact-checking”. Why place our high-biodiversity wilderness in the hands of a compromised industry?” says Emms.
[i] Laurance, William F. Why EAIs fail, THERYA, 2022, Vol. 13, p. 67-72
[ii] https://www.attexo.com.au/#outcomes, accessed 10.01.2021
[iii] Ibid.
3.11.2021
EVENT: Information Evening on Impacts of Renewable Energy Developments on Wildlife and Wilderness
Thursday 4th November, 6pm – 9pm Pullman Cairns International
Roll-outs of industrial renewable energy developments are occurring all over our country. Are wildlife and wilderness are paying the price?
Are renewable energy renewable developments destroying the precious habitat they're supposed to be saving? Large scale wind and solar farms are rolling out across our state. Already we are seeing habitats of threatened species being demolished, and we're concerned at what's to come. We argue that the push to industrialise our wilderness in the name of “green” energy isn’t driven by ecological concerns, but is driven by multinational profit-driven corporations seeking to profit.
Join us for an educational evening as we share the impacts of large-scale renewable wind and solar projects upon our ecosystems, wildlife and wilderness. Hear from a range of speakers including Distinguished Research Professor Bill Laurance and Professor Allan Dale.
Learn about our campaign to Keep Chalumbin Wild. Chalumbin is a 78,000 acre parcel of land near Ravenshoe currently slated to be developed into a wind farm containing 95 turbines.
Hear about the importance of preserving delicate ecosystems to conserve flora and fauna, the water cycle and the biodiversity it supports.
Find out about the principles of syntropic farming and regenerative agriculture.
Become informed about future industrial energy development plans and what you can do about them.
All are welcome to attend.
24.09.21
Jirrbal Community Speak out strongly against Epuron’s proposed Wind Farm
The Jirrbal community have spoken. Traditional Custodians of the area are speaking out against the proposed Epuron 95-turbine wind farm in Chalumbin, FNQ.
Several endangered species of flora and fauna exist in Chalumbin. A suspected nest of the Red Goshawk, Australia’s rarest raptor was found onsite. The Magnificent Brood Frog whose habitat is rapidly being cleared at nearby Kaban Green Power Hub and the Northern Greater Glider, whose population is estimated to be also “significantly impacted” by the Chalumbin development. Raptors, bats and insects are particularly at risk living amongst wind turbines. Raptors are long-lived birds and produce few offspring. An adult Goshawk fatality can be catastrophic for a population already on the edge.
Wind turbines effectively dominate the air space around them. Bats and birds are not just killed by striking turbines but are driven out of their airspace by them ie: their “lands in the sky”. Raptors need space to glide, soar and hover while they hunt and wind turbines can impede this, fragmenting airspace and destroying natural flight courses. In effect, sky “colonisation” by 160 metre high wind turbines is tantamount to habitat loss for vulnerable raptors, bats and insects - it just isn’t stated as such.
Full environmental rehabilitation of a wind farm is impossible. Each wind turbine rests on a whopping 800 cubic metres of concrete poured deep into the ground. Multiply this by 95 and you'll have the amount of concrete that will lie forever in the earth of Chalumbin - 76,000 cubic metres of concrete. While superficially wind farms can be "disappeared", the earth tells a different story. The concrete will be there indefinitely. This can affect groundwater distribution and groundwater storage. The use of heavy machinery to remove wind turbines can also result in pollution from the spills of petrol and oil.
20.09.2021
Locals treated with “disdain” at sham Epuron Community Consultation Meeting
On Thursday afternoon on 16th September, industrial renewable energy corporation Epuron held a community consultation at Ravenshoe Town Hall to seek feedback on the large scale 95 wind turbine development slated to be built at Chalumbin, a 78,000 acre land parcel of pristine wilderness.
Concerned locals began queuing up on the street at least half an hour before the meeting began. The doors opened at 3pm sharp as over 100 attendees filed in. Attendees arrived to an empty hall with no chairs put out for seating and just a few central tables arranged with documents placed upon them. Older residents looked on in dismay at the lack of seating while other community members started unpacking chairs and arranging them for all to sit on.
With no microphone set up apparent, the community sat and waited at least 20 minutes for Epuron managers present to speak or a presentation to begin. Whispers grew louder that there was to be no community address from the Epuron managers at all. Instead, Epuron wanted community members to approach them individually, seemingly to avoid being “put on the spot” by questions management may not be able to answer. In fact one manager stood off in a side room avoiding the majority of the community entirely for the whole meeting.
At this treatment, the community was stunned. One community member stood and tried to conduct a sort of “question and answer” forum so the community could raise some concerns with Epuron for all to hear. The community was told repeatedly by the Epuron manager to fill out the “consultation forms” and their concerns would be answered via email.
A number of Tjirrabal and Girrimay elders, Traditional Custodians of the area, spoke up to state they hadn’t been consulted about the decision to build the industrial wind development on Chalumbin. In truly heart wrenching scenes, the Elders struggled to catch the attention of Epuron managers and were then seemingly dismissed.
Another community member then stood and asked the room for a vote to indicate who was in favour of the wind development. At least 95% of the attendees present voted AGAINST the development.
Clearly the meeting was a “tick and flick” exercise to allow Epuron to move to the next stage of developments. This was not a genuine community consultation for if it were, it would have taken place well before the ecological surveys were commenced and the Chalumbin wind farm proposal had been submitted to government. It seems Epuron management were desperate to avoid any real community engagement but were quite happy to treat community with utter contempt.
“It’s appalling that Epuron pay lip service to public consultation but don’t mean any of it. Perhaps they just want to progress with their massive multi million dollar wind turbine development and onsell it to the highest bidder? They have no longterm stake in Chalumbin but are quite happy to destroy the wilderness with a massive industrial wind development, killing off animals, plants, microclimates and ecologies and then selling it for profit.” states Carolyn Emms, President Rainforest Reserves.
Meanwhile the Keep Chalumbin Wild campaign is continuing to gain strength with a petition circulating on Facebook and another community meeting being planned for Cairns.