Hills of Gold Wind Farm

Phillip And Vicki Pty Ltd
PO Box 7080
Nundle NSW 2340
Hills of Gold Wind Farm
Application SSD-9679
I wish to object to the Hills of Gold Wind Farm amended state significant development application. Our company has grazing country adjoining Nundle Road and Crawney Road and the proposed use of Crawney Road as the major route for oversize overmass vehicles plus the massive increase in traffic movements along Crawney Road will have a substantial affect on the way we run our business making it more difficult to access services in Nundle and Tamworth with time delays during the construction phase of the project. We are also concerned with the lack of detail and engineering required for the upgrade of bridges and roadways to allow such large components to be safely transported along Crawney Road. The proposed private road behind the Peel Inn will dramatically change the entrance and tourist appeal for people visiting Nundle.
Phillip and Vicki Dempsey

Phillip Dempsey
Koobah South
566 Crawney Road
Nundle NSW 2340
Hills of Gold Wind Farm Amendment
SSD-9679
I own and live on Koobah a grazing property very close to Nundle township. We feel there is no viable transport route for this project and this in association with numerous other issues has meant Tamworth Regional Council do not support this project.
I have concerns with the lack of information presented in the amended Proposals especially in relation to engineering and building detail associated with much of the Project infrastructure and roadworks including bridge replacements road upgrades and construction of the western connector road. We will have a very large visual impact from our residence and property and the proponent has not provided us with a visual montage even after many requests. We have also not been contacted regarding a neighbourhood agreement as our property adjoins the major transport route for the proposed project.
There are several options for construction of Battery storage facilities, batching plants and site office. This does not allow the Nundle Community to have a clear picture of the project and the project appears to be constantly changing. This has caused great division within the community in Nundle and Hanging Rock and as over 70% of local residents oppose the project it has no social license to be constructed.
I am also unhappy with the night lighting of the proposed turbines and the issues the development will create regarding aerial firefighting as bushfires are a major concern in this area.

Vicki Dempsey
Koobah South
566 Crawney Road
Nundle NSW 2340
Hills of Gold Wind Farm
Application SSD-9679
I wish to object to the Hills of Gold Wind Farm. Our Property Koobah is situated on Crawney Road and we will be severely visually impacted by this development. The proponent has still not supplied us with a photomontage nor contacted us to discuss our concerns regarding the use of Crawney Road as a major access route for the project. We have had limited to no contact with the Proponent throughout the planning process and the last meeting that was arranged the proponent did not arrive. Leaving us feeling ignored and clearly shows the lack of community engagement by Engie and associated companies. The proponent has also sort to buy community support by donating money to local community clubs before the project has even been approved. This is continuing to cause division in a once united, progressive inclusive community
The Crawney Road is very close to the Peel River within our property and this area is recognised as habitat for the Booroolong Frog. Upgrading the road and building new bridges will severely impact the habitat of the frog and this has not been considered in the amended proposal. Nor has the importance of destruction of habitat of animals with turbines being in close proximity to Ben Halls Nature Reserve. This should not be allowed to happen. The location of this project means there will be a large amount of environmental destruction in highly sensitive and precious ecosystems and should not be allowed to be constructed.

As a Nundle resident I oppose this development for reasons listed below,
Clearing of trees within the township of Nundle destroying the character of the town
Clearing of trees and native vegetation in the town as well as development area for transportation of wind turbine components and erection of wind towers.
Destruction of Koala habitat by means of clearing.
Construction of roads through crown lands, major modifications to existing roads, disruption to Crawney road throughout the construction phase.
Wind turbines impacting the ability to fight bushfires by aerial means.
Issues with the large amounts of water required for the development.
Most of all these issues are of great environmental concern which seems counterintuitive which the development would be better suited to areas already cleared for industrial uses, for example the sites of the power stations in the hunter when they cease operation, where associated infrastructure is already in place.

The Hills of Gold Wind Farm has created social division in Nundle and Hanging Rock before it has even started construction.
The Amended DA has seen this division continue as new people become impacted by proposed transport routes, people realise how going about their day will become more difficult with parking restrictions and increased truck movements, and treasured street trees would need to be removed.
There are new large wind farm support signs put up by an Engie employee and potential host.
Others have put up wind farm objection signs for the first time, but they put them up themselves.
It is difficult having this conflict in the town leading up to Christmas.
Many of our friends and family did not attend the Christmas Market because it was sponsored by Engie. Wind farm opponents who attended the Christmas Carols run with the Swimming Club (sponsored by Engie), were given the cold shoulder.
It was very upsetting to see All Saints' Anglican Church receive money and be used in Engie marketing. This is alienating for people who do not support the wind farm.
If this happened with a small amount of $20,000 imagine the upset in rolling out a larger fund. Groups had to agree to be featured in Engie media, so the sponsorship program becomes a wind farm support reward program that only a minority of the community is eligible for. The number of wind turbines keeps going down so the fund will be a far cry from the 97 turbines pitched in 2018. Based on turbines per Council area, it's already half that.

To do this to such a pretty part of the world is discussing. Its is a nice place and to have a wind farm there is not a good idea.

See further objection attached letter.

I have studied the proposed amendments and believe the changes to be beneficial to my business (which is in very close proximity to the project corridor) by being less of an impact to traffic up to and within Hanging Rock. The changes to reduction in risk to wildlife in the proximity of Ben Halls Gap Nature Reserve are also positive in my view.
I firmly believe the Hills of Gold Wind Farm project will be beneficial to all businesses in Nundle, not just those with a tourism orientation.
Sincerely,
Russell Sydenham
MBA (Southern Cross University)

The Newcastle and Hunter Valley Speleological Society strongly objects to the proposed Hills of Gold Wind Farm Application (SSD – 9679) due to its location and the potential threats it poses to the local environment and wildlife, including the karst and cave systems.

I have previously made a submission in support of the Hills of Gold Wind Farm. As a resident of Hanging Rock and being in close proximity of the development both during and after construction I was in support of the original transport route and logistics management proposed. I am fully in support of the newly proposed transport route for the following reasons:
1 Reduction in traffic movements up Devils Elbow and proposed bypass
(no longer proposed)
2 Reduction in construction traffic along Barry Road and Morrisons Gap Road.
3 Increase in traffic via different parts of Nundle with reduced traffic impact on the key intersection of Jenkins St and Oakenville Street is more manageable.
4 Reduced impact on the recreational fossicking area in Hanging Rock.

Furthermore, I am in favour of the improvements to increasing the wildlife corridor size as proposed, with the resultant reduction to the risk of wildlife including bats, in the proximity of Ben Halls Gap Nature Reserve.

The expansion and utilisation of the quarry in Hanging Rock makes more sense for the provision of materials required for construction, resulting in revenue for the quarry and reduction in energy consumption to haul gravel up the mountain.

My children are 4th generation Nundle residents and I have lived here all my life. The irreparable damage this project will cause to our environment is akin to Environmental Vandalism. The location of the project is completely wrong for so many reasons. Accessability would require major earth works that would ruin the natural beauty of the mountains and damage the fragile eco system that has survived in State Forests and National Parks for 1000's of years.
The proposed access roads through Nundle would cause major disruption to residents trying to carry out day to day life. I am opposed to the increased traffic past my residence which fronts to Crawney Road, a proposed major route for all the heavy vehicles. My kids ride their bikes on that road!
I choose to live in a small quiet Village for that very reason.
The proposed access roads will have a detrimental effect on well advanced and mature trees that have taken decades to establish. It would be unacceptable to remove any of these trees. The proposed short cut that cuts off at Herring Street would not be suitable as this is a flood prone area and would affect the flow of flood waters.
The fact that this proposal site is at the Head Waters to three major river systems should be reason enough for this project to be rejected. I believe that the excessive clearing already carried out should be rehabilitated to its natural state and the owner of this land be fined. This land is "vulnerable lands" that would be prone to Land slips if left in this condition. Down stream us people in Nundle Village may suffer that in the future.
I am not enjoying the time I have to spend on objecting to a project that is clearly in the wrong location and is a bona fide joke.

Please find attached my submission.
I strongly object.

As with my previous submission, I find the choice of interfering with bush that is the home to koalas, birds and other fauna to build an installation that could be placed on already farmed or mined land to be a poor environmental choice and smacks of expediency over long term legacies for future generations.
Additionally, it is in an area that has a fragile water table and we cannot afford to put any pressure on this valuable resource.
Finally, there could be an impact on the ability of firefighters to use aerial water spraying in the case of bushfires. Our last major fire period showed the importance of quick access.
Please reconsider location as once destroyed, we cannot change our minds. Renewables are an important step forward but better placed in already cleared land.

I strongly oppose this project in every way . This DA is no different to the one before as zero of the important issues still have not been addressed in the new DA . Environmental issues havnt been addressed , noise issues have not been addressed . The last DA was strongly opposed by the majority , this new DA should be treated in the same way .

I support this project to enable NSW to secure reliable green energy into the future. We must make the move away from coal powered energy and I feel that this wind project along with many others will get us there.

LOCATION OF THE SITE

The site for Engie’s Hills of Gold (HOG) Wind Farm remains a major objection to this development. This is not about the value of wind farms as a natural resource and alternative energy source, but about the considered choice of an appropriate location to build a large industrial complex, such as this wind farm. This site is completely unacceptable on many levels.

The site Engie have proposed:

Sits on top of the ridgeline of the Liverpool Ranges – part of the Great Dividing Range, with elevations of 1100m - 1400m, and with a 230 wind tower installed, the overall height atop the Range will be over 1600+ m.
Has a Development footprint sitting on the boundaries of the Crawney Pass National Park, the Ben Halls Gap Nature Reserve (BHGNR) as well as the Ben Halls Gap State Forest.
Threatens the connectivity corridor for threatened species. Especially the Koala population in the area & other native fauna.
Consists of steep slopes on the southern side (the Crawney and Timor Communities side) of the Development that reach over 50% gradient in sections and have a high risk of erosion and dispersion (land slides) which have recently occurred on the Crawney Pass Road, as testament.
Will involve clearing 447ha of vegetation with profound ecological consequences.
The required clearing that will severely impact 17 Plant communities; 2 State –Listed Threatened Ecological Communities; 2 Nationally-listed Critically Endangered Ecological Communities; 10 State –listed BAM (Biodiversity Assessment Method 2020) species credit species; 5 Nationally –listed threatened fauna; collision risk to Protected avifauna.
Is the source of 14 primary water courses, which are the life blood of the communities, who live in the area.
is comprised of soils that are of a Class 7/8 which are categorised as “extremely low capability land; limitations are so severe that the land is incapable of sustaining any land use apart from nature conservation. There should be no disturbance of native vegetation. Class 8 land includes precipitous slopes
(greater than 50%) and cliffs, areas with a large proportion of rock outcrop or areas subject to regular inundation and waterlogging”.

Please find attached my submission.
My details are:
Mrs Sandra Burgess
24 Old Coach Road
Limeburners Creek NSW 2324
Ph: 0490013905

Here we are again commenting on Engie’s Hills of Gold Wind Farm, this time an Amended Development Application. It remains a serious environmental risk considering its closest proximity is just over 135 metres from Ben Halls Gap Sphagnum Moss Cool Temperate Rainforest, listed as Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (effective 5th October, 2022).

Engie’s Hills of Gold Wind Farm Amended Development Application does not recognise the Critically Endangered listing, nor the Endangered Commonwealth status of the koala (because it was listed as Vulnerable when the project was declared a Controlled Action).

Is this a French multi-national getting out of paying the bill for potential destruction of Australian flora and fauna?

Why even have environmental protection laws if companies are going to brush them off?

Then there’s the recent historic land clearing. Part of the project is proposed on unauthorised cleared land, which resulted in a Set Aside Conservation Agreement. Another area of land was approved for mosaic clearing for agricultural purposes by North West Local Land Services, and was subsequently proposed for wind farm infrastructure.

Would this clearing have triggered biodiversity offsets?

This proposal has caused enormous social damage to the communities of Nundle, Hanging Rock, Crawney and Timor. Most people know where others stand with regard to the wind farm, and as a result their paths now rarely cross.

Where previously they would have served on event committees together or socialised informally in the street, now they cross the street to avoid interaction.

This is particularly harmful in such a small community. It is hard to believe the community will repair from this division within a generation. It might take two.

The latest proposal to transport oversize overmass blades on either a Nundle Bypass behind the pub, or Nundle Loop, both using Jenkins Street and Crawney Road to access the project area is not currently feasible. Landholder permissions are not in place.

Similarly, access from Crawney Road to the project area across Crown Land is complicated by an undetermined land claim.

Then there’s the gradient of the proposed Western Connector Road and Transverse Track that have not been backed up by geophysical studies and engineering. The cutting into the mountainside for an Operations and Maintenance Building, Concrete Batching Plant, Substation, BESS and transmission lines/towers/easement is similarly problematic. Anything is buildable, but the environmental and financial cost of these concepts is not transparent.

There continue to be unacceptable risks to bird and bat strike, clearing 447 hectares of vegetation and a lack of detail to address potential mass movement, erosion and sedimentation caused by vegetation removal, soil disturbance and the often brutal climate dumping heavy rainfall and snow.

The local majority do not accept the proposed 311 additional daily vehicle movements, including 156 daily truck movements for up to two years, plus six oversize overmass vehicles a day for nine months. We all know construction takes longer than anticipated, particularly if delayed by wet weather.

The Amended DA proposes impacts that will permanently reduce the amenity of living at Nundle, Hanging Rock, Crawney Mountain and Timor.

Most people have chosen to live in this location for the quiet atmosphere, scenic landscape and natural environment. The proposed wind farm location is so elevated that there will be no escaping the visual impact. The changed mountain profile and reduced vegetation would be a constant reminder of the lost biodiversity. Those living closest to the construction infrastructure and wind turbines would endure the nuisance of noise impacts.

The proponent pays multiple consultants to paint the wind farm proposal in a positive light to the government.

It’s then up to the community, Council and Government Authorities to call out unacceptable impacts. This system is a gruelling impost on individuals and communities.

Please see Hills of Gold Wind Farm for what it is, a desperate attempt to cash in on the current hunger for renewables in a totally inappropriate landscape and communities.

I have lived here for over 25 years and I believe that the proposed wind farm would be a step in the wrong direction for Nundle. People come here for the nature, tourism and heritage. The construction on the steep mountain side will cause a lot of damage and destruction of habitat. If the wind farms are placed in wrong locations they are environmentally damaging. Also this wind farm will have a big impact on the Nundle community. The view will be ruined for everyone and the beauty of the area is what draws people here in the first place.
The people in town aren't going to be the ones who get the work. The main host will probably scoop up the most of earth works given that he owns a large earth moving company. The specialist jobs will be drive in drive out teams who contract for many wind farms.
Our roads can not take the traffic and the weights of these vehicles. Our roads are already struggling to cope with the traffic now and they will certainly not improve with extra vehicles.
We will face significant delays while the slow oversized vehicles are navigating intersections. We are already limited with parking and if they establish no parking zones there won't be any parking for tourists. No one will go to Nundle to look at the snow if they can't park at the front of the shops and cafes.
The amount of clearing that is required for this wind farm is plain criminal, and some of it already has taken place before any assessments.
I believe the run off from the construction in the mountains can silt up our creeks and rivers.

Ref: Hills of Gold Wind Farm Amended Application (SSD – 9679)


Katherine Eagles
Previous resident of Timor

I object to the Engie Hills of Gold Wind Farm application.

Note I am both a farmer, land conservationist and citizen concerned about our climate change, I also support renewable energy sources as our way forward with our planet.
Objections are as follow.
LOCATION OF THE SITE
The site for Engie’s Hills of Gold (HOG) Wind Farm remains a major objection to this development. This is not about the value of wind farms as a natural resource and alternative energy source, but about the considered choice of an appropriate location to build a large industrial complex, such as this wind farm. This site is completely unacceptable on many levels.

The site Engie have proposed:

Sits on top of a beautiful ridgeline of the Liverpool Ranges – part of the Great Dividing Range, with elevations of 1100m - 1400m, and with a 230 wind tower installed, the overall height atop the Range will be over 1600+ m.
Has a Development footprint sitting on the boundaries of the Crawney Pass National Park, the Ben Halls Gap Nature Reserve (BHGNR) as well as the Ben Halls Gap State Forest.
Threatens the connectivity corridor for threatened species.
Consists of steep slopes on the southern side (the Crawney and Timor Communities side) of the Development that reach over 50% gradient in sections and have a high risk of erosion and dispersion (land slides) which have recently occurred on the Crawney Pass Road, as testament.
Will involve clearing 447ha of vegetation with profound ecological consequences.
The required clearing that will severely impact 17 Plant communities; 2 State –Listed Threatened Ecological Communities; 2 Nationally-listed Critically Endangered Ecological Communities; 10 State –listed BAM (Biodiversity Assessment Method 2020) species credit species; 5 Nationally –listed threatened fauna; collision risk to Protected avifauna.
Is the source of 14 primary water courses, which are the life blood of the communities, who live in the area.

Projects such as these should never impact on our existing national parks and nature reserves & the abutting land & the corridors that are the lifeline of the flora and fauna that the parks and reserves support. Our poor Koala population is on the decline, please put this project in another location anywhere down the valley away from the areas meant to protect our wildlife. Utilise farming areas that are already cleared of vegetation, use these areas for wind farms & no one will object.