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State Significant Development

Recommendation

Hills of Gold Wind Farm

Tamworth Regional

Current Status: Recommendation

Interact with the stages for their names

  1. SEARs
  2. Prepare EIS
  3. Exhibition
  4. Collate Submissions
  5. Response to Submissions
  6. Assessment
  7. Recommendation
  8. Determination

A wind farm and associated infrastructure located 50 km south-east of Tamworth and 8 km south of Nundle, comprising up to 70 wind turbines, battery storage and grid connection.

EPBC

This project is a controlled action under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and will be assessed under the bilateral agreement between the NSW and Commonwealth Governments, or an accredited assessment process. For more information, refer to the Australian Government's website.

Attachments & Resources

Notice of Exhibition (2)

Request for SEARs (7)

SEARs (2)

EIS (41)

Response to Submissions (17)

Agency Advice (15)

Amendments (52)

Additional Information (19)

Recommendation (6)

Submissions

Filters
Showing 81 - 100 of 1122 submissions
Name Withheld
Object
CONCORD , New South Wales
Message
The size of the proposed wind farm will have a devastating impact on the surrounding environment.

Noting the heights of the turbines, the footings are huge and will impact the landscape, natural water courses and animal habitat.

If the recent drought in this area has taught anything it would be to not Impact water courses which have been in place for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Water is essential for survival and impacting it in this way will impact thousands of hectares of land its usability.

The clearing of land will have a devastating impact on native flora and fauna including koalas, wombats, birds, etc some of which are bordering on extinction I.E. KOALAS!!!!!

The impacts on the pristine areas are also economic - tourists will no longer visit this area as it has been so greatly impacted by man the tourism value has diminished.

This proposal must not be approved.
John Natoli
Object
AVALON BEACH , New South Wales
Message
Wrong place to establish a wind farm as it will cause a significant impact to the environment and established wildlife.
John Isaksen
Object
GLENBROOK , New South Wales
Message
I am concerned the effect the wind farms will have on flora & fauna, especially koalas and alot of birdlife.
I am also concerned about excessive erosion in the construction of the wind farms & excessive run off into the creeks & gullies.
Name Withheld
Support
HANGING ROCK , New South Wales
Message
I am a traditional person of the Gomaroi (Nation (Kamillaroi) and a resident of Hanging Rock. I have lived and worked in the area on and off for the past 50 years. Prior to retiring early last year I worked in the Coal Mining Industry for 10+ years, and during this time I have quite often been on the receiving end of the public's negative views with regard to Coal Mining and am aware of what impact the Fossil Fuel industry has on the land and environment. I believe green energy is our future and the Hills of Gold Wind Farm project will be a positive move toward this goal.
The project will bring benefits to the Hanging Rock/Nundle communities during the construction phase and into the future through employment, improved infrastructure, a community fund etc which will be great for our communities.
I personally don't have an issue with the look of wind farms and don't think this one will spoil view of the hills, in fact it will be a talking point and people may even make the journey out to Nundle to see them as tourist attraction which will in turn benefit local business and community on a wider scale.
Name Withheld
Support
HANGING ROCK , New South Wales
Message
I am a resident of Hanging Rock and have lived there for over 8 years. I support the proposed Hills of Gold Wind Farm as I believe that it will benefit both Hanging Rock and Nundle communities both socially and economically by: increasing employment opportunities, upgrading infrastructure ie roads, providing access to funds to benefit both communities through the Community Enhancement Fund and through other possible flow-ons eg eco tourism. I understand that there may be some disruption during the construction phase however I think the benefits of this project will outweigh the negatives. There could also be other opportunities created by this project for businesses an community who wish to take them up. Views provided by the photomontages (before and after views) show that the wind farm can be seen at a distance from the main entry road from Tamworth, and that it can hardly been seen at all from Nundle village, I don't think this will impact tourists to our area, it may in fact encourage more visitors.
Perdita Humbles
Object
HANGING ROCK , New South Wales
Message
We are writing this submission to notify that we OBJECT to the Wind Farm proposal. We purchased our property in April 2018 with the intention of it being our forever home. We choose this location not only for the cultural heritage and history of the surrounding area but also for the peaceful location and beautiful views. We did not know about the Wind Farm discussion. Our property settled on the 19th April 2018 however it took until June 17th 2020 for WEP to meet with me to discuss the project. Our property is located 2.73km from the closest turbine and we are the only landowners living permanently down Shearers Road.
Our main reasons for objection, although there are many, are as follows.
1. Our only access road into and out of the property to take us to the main road being Barry Road, is via Shearers Road and Morrisons Gap Road. (Shearers Road is not marked in yellow marking it as a public road on the maps in Appendix C of the Indicative layout although this road will be affected.) This takes us directly past the wind turbines and from the photo montage images of the turbines placed along Morrisons Gap Road we would be driving approximately 500m from the turbines. Morrisons Gap Road is narrow and windy with a lot of blind corners and steep drop offs. To have constant traffic on this road with workers and turbine parts being transported would make it extremely dangerous to travel on. It would also increase my travel time to and from work which is already 30 mins just to drive from our property to Nundle. 20km away. It would cause immense disruption to our every day life. THIS WOULD DISRUPT OUR EVERY DAY LIVES IMMENSELY!!! Morrisons Gap Road is COMPLETLEY UNSUITABLE for a high volume of traffic let alone trucks!!!
2. One of the things that attracted us to this property was the constant fresh flowing creek that runs through our property. This creek, McDivitts Creek, (Not shown in Constraints Map A. Appendix B although it is a major creek for the Barnard River) starts up the mountain range directly near proposed turbine locations, and runs into the Barnard River which feeds into the Manning River. During the drought the creek stopped flowing on the surface as the water table was affected. If the water table is disrupted by the building of the turbines we will no longer have access to water. The road to our house is too steep to have water trucked in. This will most definitely have an impact on the wellbeing of our lives and no guarantee that the water table will not be affected can be given.
3. Under 4.2.1 Category 2, which states that adjacent landholders to proposed development corrider were given information is incorrect. We had one meeting with WEP in the 2.5 years from the start of the proposal until the submission. WEP visited our property to take site photographs for a visual impact montage as our views follow the development corrider, however after numerous requests to receive them we received a Wireframe taken from a property down the road from us at a much lower elevation and the views hidden by our property. We have still to date not received a photo montage of the visual impact from our property. In the documentation they have submitted however it states that we will see up to 10 turbines.
4. There are numerous flora and fauna that would be impacted by this project. There are native gum trees in Ben Halls Gap Nature Reserve (some of which Jim Robinson has already illegally cleared in preparation for this project.) We see Wedge Tailed eagles on a daily basis flying around the valley along with black cockatoos, white cockatoos, King Parrots just to name a few. These birds would be driven away by the Wind Turbines. It is also known that koalas habitat the area and they would also be disrupted due to the turbines. If trees are continually cleared, where will they live?
5. We will be affected by noise more than the submission states, as everything in the valley echoes. We are in a valley that is surrounded by Ben Halls Gap, the mountain range they wish to place the turbines, and Barry Road. They did not do a noise test from this location.
6. We were offered $3000 per year to compensate for the Wind Turbines, however in the contract it basically states that you cannot complain about any noise of visual disturbance. It appears more hush money than compensation, however no amount of money could compensate for the affect that this development would have on our daily lives if it is approved.
7. Given the disruption to both our views, access to our property,(even after completion you will be driving along next to the turbines to access our property) the flowing of our creek, the noise which we would hear as everything in the valley echoes, no amount of money could compensate us.
8. We asked WEP about how the development would affect our property value, to which they sent us a reply email advising us of a report that was conducted in 2009. Given that our view and creek would be disrupted by the turbines, along with the noise and night time red lights, we are certain that it would affect the property value of our home. A report that was conducted 12 years ago in a completely different location type to this one, is not at all relevant in my opinion.
These are our main points of objection to the Wind Farm proposal and we trust that they will be taken into consideration when deciding on the project.
Name Withheld
Object
Nundle , New South Wales
Message
We are a 4th generation family farm located in close proximity to the proposed windfarm. I love the beauty of the hills that surround our farm and find them breathtaking but also peaceful and relaxing. I am concerned about several impacts this windfarm will have on me, our family and and our community. Firstly I am concerned about the visual impact these turbines will have on our property, not only being able to see these huge monstrosities during the day but also the constant flashing of lights on these turbines at night. Secondly, after experiencing the worse drought ever, especially in regard to water on our farm, I am extremely concerned about the impact the windfarm might have on the supply of water to our creek, which is the only water supply to several of our paddocks, but also the supply to the Peel River which provides water to both Nundle and also runs into Chaffey Dam which in turn supplies Tamworth Regional Council. Thirdly, the impact of the extra vehicle movements on our small town. The number and size of the extra vehicles moving in and around Nundle during construction is very concerning. Fourth and lastly, the impact it may have on property land prices, as a number of the turbines will be closely visible from most areas of our property, it is not known if this will affect land prices in the future. The proposed site for this windfarm is not practical due to the steep terrain and narrow roads, not to mention ruining the beautiful Hills of Gold and should not be approved.
Ian William Worley
Object
NUNDLE , New South Wales
Message
For those who do not know me, my name is Ian Worley (Snr.) I’m in my 84th year.
I first came to Nundle in 1981 and purchased a grazing property of 1,000 acres about 10 kms south of Nundle. This property is known as Yellow Rock.
Over the following years the property was increased by the purchase of additional areas from neighbours and now totals 1,700 acres owned by the Worley family. Much of the area adjoins the property on which the wind farm project is to be situated – if approved.
In 1983 I built a residence at 196 Nundle Creek Road and still reside there. The site for the house was chosen for the magnificent views of the mountain range of the Great Divide, about 7 kms to the south.
My two sons (Ian Jnr. and Bob) were raised at this home and attended Nundle school. They still live in Nundle, having returned after employment in other areas. Both married and their children attended Nundle school before moving on to tertiary education.
Over the past forty years I have owned part and leased part of the area intended for the wind farm project and am very familiar with the terrain which was steep and rugged – more or less in its original state. It was heavily timbered with ancient red gums, stringy bark and apple gums, to name a few.
The creeks and gullies were full of mosses and sedges. Tree ferns were abundant and wild life plentiful with many wombats, kangaroos, different species of wallabies, quolls, koalas and lyrebirds. Wedge tail eagles had massive nests built high in the big trees.
In wet years the land was subject to massive land slips, some up to an acre in size had moved 100 yards downhill with timber still standing.

My objections are:
As my family is of indigenous background I have inherited an unexplained closeness to the land and to nature. In my old age it gives me great pleasure to sit at a vantage point and visualize the way the land was 200 years ago – Aboriginal tribes moving by on the walkabout; later miners from many different countries gathered together in their search for gold; the hardships they and their families suffered battling the elements, illness and deaths of their young children; the relics of their passing in the way of abandoned mines, machinery, old buildings such as miners’ huts made of materials available at the time. Many items of those times are still being found by people using metal detectors.
My family members, including three daughters and their children and grandchildren who now live in Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns, make regular trips to Nundle to enjoy the tranquility and explore the beauty of the land, including the caves on Yellow Rock Hill. Recently one of my daughters, together with her daughter and six weeks old baby made the 500 kms trip from Brisbane so that the baby could have a small ceremony to leave her presence on the Worley family property.
When these visitors come they always make use of the town’s. shops and accommodation. They cannot believe that any consideration would be given to the desecration of the visual skyline by 250 metre high turbines and associated infrastructure.
From my kitchen it is a delight to look out each morning at the range top and at night to see the Southern Cross clearly. Should turbines be installed the Southern Cross will be replaced by flashing red lights in an area that will be owned by a foreign country or countries, such as China, all for the sake of a few landowners and others prepared to sell their heritage for a mess of potage.

My ancestors lived in this country for thousands of years prior to European arrival when the native people were usurped and their tribal lands populated by the new settlers. The Aborogines tried to defend their country, but were no match against the superior weaponry of the British – they suffered mass slaughter not only then, but for years after. Some were poisoned, some succumbed to introduced diseases and dies in their thousands. They were to become a degraded species, eradicated as pests from their own country.
In recent years improvements have been made in the plight of indigenous people in the way or land rights and with better education giving greater opportunities to those willing to embrace them. This has resulted in many important roles in our country being filled by persons of Aboriginal descent.
Are we once again to be invaded by a foreign country or countries and lose again our right to control our land. This will be the result if this development application is allowed.
I find the idea abhorrent and call on the citizens of this area to register their disapproval.


On the matter of the great division between members of the Nundle community, there is no doubt that this has occurred. Once we were a close knit community working and living for the progress of the town. Now we are bombarded by signs erected everywhere, both for and against the project.
Rural neighbours who had always maintained good relationships are now faced with locked gates and No Trespass warnings.
Suspicion is present in association with patronage of clubs, hotels and eateries in town. The community has developed a for or against attitude.
Nundle has hosted numerous money raising events – shearing competitions, art show, Chinese Go for Gold Festival, the Great Nundle Dog Race amidst many others.
Nundle has been the mecca for tourists, many directed here by the Tamworth Information Centre as a “must visit” to explore the old goldfields and relics.
If the project is allowed would the Tamworth Information Centre tell visitors to forget about the natural beauty of the area and point out the beauty of the massive turbine towers defiling the ridge line, grinding and winding on their monstrous 235 metres high structures, dwarfing the natural surrounds.
Marion Wiley
Object
MELBA , Australian Capital Territory
Message
I write as a regular visitor to Nundle and Hanging Rock. After looking through the EIS I can see how flawed it is. There are many areas that have been left out. As an individual who regularly travels the roads to Nundle towing a caravan, I will not be visiting the township at all during the construction phase of this project should it go ahead. The capacity of these rural roads is limited and with the huge number of movements on a daily basis, I would fear for my life on the roads. I have viewed the modifications which have been proposed and these are not practical nor will they make any difference. Traffic will be regularly travelling the Nundle to Tamworth Road as well as the Lindsay's Gap Road. It will be impossible to get around the area. The road from Nundle to Tamworth does not have any upgrades mentioned. his is already an incredibly dangerous road on which a significant number of deaths have occurred. The beauty of the area is its tranquility and slowness. This will be destroyed during and after construction. It will be off our tourist list.
The streets of Nundle are not designed for the massive structures to be moved through. The idea of cutting down trees planted by a garden club, of which many members have passed, is disgraceful.
I regularly travel the road to Hanging Rock. This is a most scenic area except for the pine forest which is currently being logged. To add another area of development to the hills of Nundle and Hanging Rock will destroy the visual amenity of the area. It is unacceptable. The pine forest already denudes the undergrowth of native vegetation due to the poison within the dropped needles. This makes the pine forest unsuitable for native animals. To further clear and the "offset" the destruction of native forest to another area to allow for this industrial development to be built is completely unacceptable in any circumstances. The variety of endangered flora and fauna in the area warrants protection, not destruction and mitigation.
Nundle is clearly not in the New England renewable zone and nor should it be. The landscape is unsuitable and it has particular historical and cultural value and should be protected. Nundle and Hanging Rock should be preserved as areas like this will become a rarity in the region as more and more renewable developments are built.
Hanging Rock is the catchment area for the whole of Tamworth, as is Nundle. To disturb this area will have major repercussions. I note that the biodiversity and environmental studies have been completed of the 3 years of the worst drought on record. These do not give a true indication of the area. As a long time visitor of over 20 years, I have seen major landslips in this vulnerable area. The entirety of the development zone is within a Class 8 soil area as determined by the Office of Environment and Heritage. This means it should not even have been used for agriculture, let alone cleared, dug, pounded and destroyed for this development.
Place this development within the renewable zone and in an area that it is suited to. Nundle and Hanging Rock are not the area.
Nicola Worley
Object
NUNDLE , New South Wales
Message
As someone who has lived in Nundle on Crawney Road for the past 18 years I have observed multiple areas of clearfelling on the ridgeline to the east, on Jim Robinson's land. These areas have been only recently cleared. Already large areas of the plantation pine forest that lies east of the village of Nundle has also been clearfelled over the past few months. This is putting undue stress on an already fragile ecosystem, where the soil is poor and erosion is occurring. The foothills to the east of the village form a massive catchment area that provides the city of Tamworth, plus numerous other small towns, via Chaffey Dam, with its drinking water. Due to the drought we have endured for the last half decade, the native trees, wildlife and water systems are under massive amounts of stress.
We are not part of the New England Energy Zone so this area should be kept pristine to counterbalance all of the development that will take place in this region.
Nundle is a tourist village renowned for its natural beauty. It is popular with people from Sydney and Newcastle looking to escape industrialised environments.
My family's property is next door to where a number of proposed turbines will be situated. These massive structures will loom within 500 metres of our farmland, where we run sheep but are also in the process of rehabilitating areas of bushland.
The construction of the turbines will endanger everyone who uses the local roads. The narrow, winding road to Hanging Rock already has numerous logging trucks thundering up and down it. With its tight hairpins it will be very challenging to transport massive pieces of equipment up to the ridgeline. The local schoolbus travels up and down this road many times a day. Other school buses will be using the road into the village and having to share these roads with these trucks. My children travel daily on a bus to Quirindi and I am concerned about their safety, plus the safety of the other children on buses in the area.
The environment here is not suitable for massive turbines. it is a natural environment, already under stress, that needs to be protected, not destroyed. Construction of these turbines will affect the livelihood of many farmers and business owners in Nundle, who rely upon tourists wanting to visit this beautiful area. This development will greatly affect the value of my family's property, both in terms of farming productivity and resale value.
If the waterways here are compromised, Tamworth and multiple villages will be directly impacted. The soil is very poor up in the hills and is not suitable for any sort of development.
If this project goes ahead it will result in an environmental catastrophe. The project is very unpopular with Nundle locals, the people who will have to live with this eyesore looming over the landscape. This project will only enrich one family, the Robinsons, who have a history of environmental vandalism. Jim Robinson has been fined in the past for illegal landclearing and he has diverted two creeks close to his property, affecting waterways further down the hills. He has no regard for local wildlife and was seen by us, his neighbours, trying to run down wombats on his farm on a quadbike. He cut down trees used by the local wedge tail eagles to nest in. He is driven purely by greed, has threatened many of the locals, including us, and is entirely dismissive of the fact that this has completely divided a hitherto harmonious community.
Name Withheld
Object
HANGING ROCK , New South Wales
Message
See attachment below
Attachments
Name Withheld
Object
HANGING ROCK , New South Wales
Message
See attachment below
Attachments
Kerry Fitts
Object
NOOSAVILLE , Queensland
Message
OBJECTION TO HILLS OF GOLD WIND FARM

By OBJECTING to the Hills of Gold Wind Farm I acknowledge the custodians of the land upon which this project is proposed to be built and their totem, the Wedge Tailed Eagle, a protected species under the provisions of the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 that will be endangered by the positioning of this wind farm. Wedge Tailed Eagles mate for life and every kill removes one of a breeding pair. The proposed wind farm estimates a kill of 6-8 annually, and this will see these beautiful birds removed from this area.

This proposal is planned to be built 185m from the boundary of Ben Hall’s Nature Reserve (created due to its value for scientific research), Ben Hall’s National Park, Crawney National Park and Wallabadah National Park.

The Turbines have a height of 220+ meters with blades covering 160m, an area well above and below the tree canopy of these conservation areas. Any flying creature leaving or returning to nest or feed within this zone will be massacred. The turbines are at that height to draw wind down from higher altitudes interfering with local climate and disrupting the air currents that birds rely on to soar.

No wind farm should be considered in ecological areas of significance all for the sake of a few landowners seeking to make many $000,000’s at the expense of so many others.

This wind farm proposal is planned for an area with Level 8 soil which is unsuitable for this type of construction and is Class C wind/terrain suitable.

I object to this wind farm being built outside the New England Renewable Energy Zone, an area set aside by the government because of its suitability and matches the criteria for wind farm siting … high, smooth hills without broken terrain that disperses wind.

Wind farms are a great way to generate clean energy, but where they are built needs careful consideration. It is perhaps ironic that one of our best man-made tools for fighting climate change can become one of our most unhelpful if it interferes with another natural solution to the problem.

This industrial proposal will destroy the amenity and ecology of this section of the mountain range with roads, foundations, transmission lines (above and below the ground), transformers, batteries and associated infrastructure permanently scarring the area; the Gem of Tamworth and homes to locals, the majority of whom, don’t want to see their area destroyed and sacrificed in pretence of saving the environment.

My husband and I lived in Nundle for 23 years and brought up three kids there. None of us ever found it a disadvantage living in such a great community. The village has a swimming pool/club, tennis courts, playground, child care, school, bowling club, golf club, Lions Club, CWA, cricket practice pitch, pony club, camp draft club, community nurse, seniors walkway to events held on the recreation grounds and aged units. Chaffey Dam is a stone’s throw away with the opportunity to fish, kayak, ski, camp and swim.The Nundle Fishing Club has a clubhouse on the foreshores of the dam.

Claims by the main beneficiaries of the wind farm claim there is nothing for kids to do in Nundle, nor people for that matter, and the compensation offered as a Community Fund will provide that. They need to open their eyes and look at what’s already available, and support them.

What’s been suggested by these same people are things such as … squash court, skateboard park, water wonderland at Sheba Dams, ice/roller skating rink in the Community Hall, suspended observation deck and and snow skiing run on major host’s land for tourists that, is claimed, will flock to the area to support the second major beneficiary’s newly extended Cafe.

The major host of this wind farm makes his living from coal and recently wrote a letter supporting it’s continuation and expansion.

Nundle is a tourist town offering many free camp sites, caravan park, 2 guest houses, farm stays, Peel River, gold and gem prospecting, bush walks around the old historic gold mines, bird watching areas, Chaffey Dam, Sheba Dams, cafes, boutique shopping, Woollen Mill, Dag Sheep Station, motel, Nundle Picnic and Hills of Gold Festival, Great Nundle Dog Race, horse riding, National Trail, bike riding, bowling and golf, museum, and the historic Peel Inn Hotel. Nundle has that special old time feeling and that’s why tourists flock here and why locals love it so much … the way it is!

It is the community working together that has provided much of the above and what Nundle/Hanging Rock is today. What this wind farm proposal has done is attempt to divide this great community.

A wind farm commanding the skyline will not attract tourists to come to Nundle just to see ‘another bloody wind farm’.

I hope you consider my objection seriously.

JOY FITTS
Peter Brooks
Object
Samford Valley , Queensland
Message
There appears to be no concern applied to the impact on local fauna that this project will bring. Native animals will be affected during construction, then also whilst the turbines are in operation. Yes, they do make noise as they operate. I have visited locations in Europe, Canada and Alaska where wind farms operate. The common theme is that local fauna decreases when wind farms are built.
We have native fauna that live on the ridge lines who will leave the area because their natural habitat will disappear and be replaced by noisy turbines and their blades.
The EIS states thirteen threatened terrestrial fauna species will be impacted. Why is the project planned to go ahead? Our unique fauna requires protection before it is to late and they become extinct.

The proposed development land is mature growth flora. Why clear this land when there is other locations just as suitable for a wind farm previously cleared for farming? No additional damage to the native flora required.

The aesthetic appeal of the valleys and ridge lines will be destroyed by the addition of the wind farm in it's proposed location. Please have some consideration for the people who currently live in and adjacent to the proposed development. The live where they live for a reason.
Also for those of us that regularly visit the region, we do not wish to see a wind farm instead of natural surroundings.

Wind farms do have a purpose, but only in appropriate locations.
Jane Bloomfield
Object
BUNGENDORE , New South Wales
Message
I think a better site can be found for a wind farm that doesn't impact the Wedge Tail Eagles and Koalas which live in the area. There is no point in building renewable energy sources and destroying the environment in the process. Too much of our wildlife was lost in the 2019/2020 horrific bushfires and we have to limit the destruction of habitat for all native birds and fauna going forward. It is just not good enough to have renewable energy trump the environment - it defeats the purpose. Both are worthy contenders but Australia is a huge country and I am sure there are many sites suitable for renewable energy that don't compromise the environment to the degree the Hills of Gold Wind Farm does. Financially, the cost may be greater in the short term, but the environment cannot ever be reclaimed.

I live close to the largest wind farm in NSW (Capital Wind Farm) and it is built on bare hillsides with minimal impact to native birds and fauna. The largest group of animals in the area are grazing stock (sheep and cattle) and as far as I can ascertain, they are not affected by the wind turbines. Surely an area with a much lower environmental impact can be found to build the Hills of Gold Wind Farm.
Lindi Lowe
Object
NUNDLE , New South Wales
Message
This area is so unique, its quite, it has the most amazing night skies, which have and continue to help me to heal. The trees and birdlife are so beautiful. Every morning I wake up at dawn and sit out the back of my home and watch the sun come over the hills, I watch as they change colour, and in the evening I watch them change again as the sun sets, Why on earth would you want to ruin this with your ugly man made structures? Our village will never be the same
Name Withheld
Support
HILLVUE , New South Wales
Message
I grew up in nundle and I’ve also rented a house in nundle when I was 18 but unfortunately I had to move to Tamworth as there are no jobs in nundle. I believe the wind farm is a fantastic way to bring jobs and visitors to the beautiful town.
Name Withheld
Object
Nundle , New South Wales
Message
I moved to Nundle NSW in April 2008 with my husband and currently still live here at my home. My children and grandchildren love to visit us at this beautiful Nundle property. I often visit the creek running through our country with my kids and grandkids and we love the bird life on the dams, including our geese and ducks. I am concerned about the water flow being affected by land clearing and the changing land formation in the catchment above this flow down to the Peel river into Chaffey Dam - Tamworth’s main water supply.
I heard about the proposed Hills of Gold Windfarm during a public meeting held in March 2018. Since then, our community has been divided. The stress of the high visual impact of 70 turbines to my home and the unpleasantness of some local members of the community wanting the turbine to be built in Nundle area has caused me anxiety and concerns leaving me to deal with severe depression over the past two years.
I have been brought up and have lived on a rural farming property all my life. I chose to live at Nundle for the peace and tranquility of surrounding environment and also for the unique quaintness of the Historic village. I wish to continue to reside here if the turbines are not built.
I am a member of Nundle CWA and have volunteered for annual events held in Nundle such as The Nundle Country Picnic, The Chinese Go-for-Gold festival, The Great Nundle Dog Race and The Nundle CWA Art Exhibition. The Nundle community which was once strong and cohesive is now divided and is upsetting not only me but many of my friends here in Nundle.
My property faces the Hanging Rock ridge on the Northern end of the project. I requested Wind Energy Partners for a visual assessment to my property. My concerns for high visual impact was discussed with Mr Micheal Stranger (former employee of Wind Energy Partners) and Mr Aref Taleb in detail on Wednesday 17th June 2020. Many photos were taken by Moir Landscape Architects and I was promised a photomontage by Mr Stranger. However, on Monday 2nd November 2020, I have been informed by email from Mr Taleb that they will no longer provide me with the photomontage because (quote from his email) :
“The landscape and visual consultants in their assessment determine representative viewpoints in line with the NSW Wind Energy: Visual Assessment Bulletin that encompass the view for surrounding dwellings. The Wombramurra Homestead photomontage can be used as a representative viewpoint….“
Please note that although we share the same driveway, the photomontage done from Wombramurra Homestead is a completely different view point and located in a different spot to my home Darjin Cottage. Imagine the sadness this has brought me not knowing what I will be living with for the rest of my life if this project was to go ahead? I have since seen some photomontages of neighbours who shares similar but not exact views. My house is located much closer to the the turbines from my neighbours photos and they look terrible. I am very concerned at the required lighting to be fitted to the turbines. This would be a very disturbing factor to my home life. I am extremely upset and angry with the community consultation by Wind Energy Partner. It was poor, unprofessional and unsympathetic to residents impacted by the high visual ammenities from the erection of 70 x 230m tall wind turbines.
The proposed transport routes in the EIS are now a major topic of discussion in our community. As an elderly citizen of Nundle with health concerns, I am extremely anxious and unhappy with the large increase in traffic volume, the route for delivering the turbine blades and towers through our main streets. With the removal of parking in the main street of town, where do I park to collect my groceries and collect my mail? The significant impact of traffic delays and congestion travelling to Tamworth and Quirindi will be horrific. I am concerned for times of emergency needs to and from the hospitals, professional medical care, the delays that will impact on our Ambulance services and evacuation during bushfire prone seasons to our local community.

I am especially upset as we were promised the project would not go ahead if the community was not in favour of the development at the March 2018 meeting in the Nundle Hall with Wind Energy Partners.

It is for these reasons that I strongly object to this project.
Anne-Marie Vine
Object
KARIONG , New South Wales
Message
I am concerned that this wind farm is being situated in native forest area and has potential to disrupt already disappearing species. I do not think that the submission fully considers the effects of this development to the level of environmental protection required for endangered and threatened species, particularly when land that has already been cleared in other locations is available for a wind farm and native populations in these locations have already been affected. In my travels, I have noted the windfarm situated near Wellington and it appears to be viable and is situated in already cleared land and open country. Why aren't we emulating this model? As we have learnt from past environmental battles- we don't build dams in wilderness areas just because land is available, unused and cheap, but take the option of protecting the land and its flora and fauna, for future generations of people and its native flora and fauna. Of concern, also, is that whilst the report states that fauna should not be affected, for example, bats, what of the recent bushfires and movement of fauna during those times? A windfarm in the way of transit to safety is a huge impact on species viability and I do not think that enough consideration of this cyclic phenomenon has been given.

Additionally, I am concerned that because the windfarm is to be situated on a ridge, it has potential issues relating to the water table and its effect on river flow in times of drought and deluge. Given the precious nature of this resource, there does not appear to be sufficient evidence of impact and again, once impacted it cannot be restored. As well as the clearing for the turbines themselves, there is also the clearing for access roads and tracks. Each of these developments changes the water flow and water retention capacity of the area and its surrounds. We may create some energy from wind, but at the cost of a river system and farms supported by this sensitive water system. How much study into the impact on the Isis river and its system has been thoroughly done in the short timeframe for this report?

The Great Dividing range is iconic. To see there be any more development, of any sort, is a backward step in respect to protecting our environmental heritage. Instead, we should be looking to place renewable energy resources in areas that have already lost their natural identity, hence minimising our impact on the remaining natural environment that we have left.
I hope that this objection will be one of many calling for this project to be resituated to a more suitable site.
Name Withheld
Object
Nundle , New South Wales
Message
I hereby declare that I strongly object to the Hills of Gold Windfarm proposal.
I have been in cattle and cropping farming for nearly 60 years. I retired to Nundle because it is a magnificent place with rolling hills and good soil for cattle grazing. The landscape is unspoilt with an abundance of wildlife. The Nundle community was active and friendly. This was a good choice for retirement for me and my wife.
One of the objections is soil movement and degrading of the hillsides which is already heavily cleared. I have seen from our cottage the extensive clearing that has been done in recent years. Further clearing to this area is excessive and risk danger of landslips. The risk in destroying the existing ecosystem on that range is also my objection. Ben Halls Gap is up there where the turbines are to be built. That is a nature conservation area and should be protected.
Noise travels easily through this valley. I can most times hear the trucks and bulldozers going when there is clearing activity on the ridge. I can hear cars going down Crawney Road. I am concerned for hearing the turbine noise and have read that they are very bad for your health. I do not want to live with that noise, I like the peaceful surrounding of the country side.
My cottage faces the directly towards the northern end of the project. I will see them everyday on my place and the light that is required on the turbines is going to be right into our house. I do not wish to live with these turbines in my view.
I play regularly on the Nundle Golf Course. People enjoy playing on our golf course because it is set in an unusual natural paddock style environment. Everyone admires the scenic views while having a hit. The golf course shares the view of the range where the turbines will be built. These 230m tall turbines will be highly visible because they will sit on top of the mountain range. Hardly a scenic golf course that it currently is now. The increase traffic from trucks and vehicles would be of safety concern also restricting players and members to enter or exit the golf course from Nundle Road.
This proposal has divided the small town community. I am a committee member of the Lions Club and past president of the local Nundle Golf Club. Both clubs are very divided which is very sad and hard to cope with. The Nundle Go for Gold Festival and the Great Nundle Dog Race are the two main tourist weekends that will not go ahead if the wind farm development goes ahead as the whole village is needed to run them. What good will a community enhancement fund do for a town like Nundle if there is no volunteers willing to run these events. The feeling of working together in a community and volunteering to run events is the basis of social community engagement in small rural communities. I have been part of this all my life. We all may as well live in the big cities where no one runs volunteer based community events.
As I have said before I live in Nundle for the peace and quiet with magnificent views. I do not want to move away but I will have to if this development goes ahead.

Pagination

Project Details

Application Number
SSD-9679
EPBC ID Number
2019/8535
Assessment Type
State Significant Development
Development Type
Electricity Generation - Wind
Local Government Areas
Tamworth Regional

Contact Planner

Name
Tatsiana Bandaruk