General News
20 October, 2021
Concerns raised over wind farm
A GROUP of concerned residents have vowed to “fight to the end” against the proposed Mublin Wind Farm.
A GROUP of concerned residents have vowed to “fight to the end” against the proposed Mublin Wind Farm.
Dubbed the Ecklin-Elingamite-Glenfyne Community Association (EEGCA), group members raised a series of concerns with the Cobden Timboon Coast Times about the proposal which would see 10 wind turbines erected.
Group spokesperson Dayle Smithwick said the group was not opposed to wind farms, but rather where it would be located.
She said the proposed location, which spans from the intersection of Cobden-Warrnambool Road and Curdies-Leichfield Road across to Walsh’s Road, was an area dedicated to intensive farming and located close to numerous dwellings.
Group concerns included:
Located in an area which has dense bushland corridors;
Located in an area with many species of wildlife;
Regulation concerns over the industry;
Property devaluation; and
The wind farm will take away the right for local farmers to farm as local crop dusters have indicated they will not fly near wind turbines.
Ms Smithwick said one of the primary concerns of the group centred around the “high fire risk” of the area.
“The wind farms are going up in an area which is a high fire risk, exactly where the St Patricks Day fires were in 2018, where many buildings, farmland, farm infrastructure and animals were destroyed,” she said.
“Fire bombers will be unable to fly near the wind turbines if we have another bush fire in our area.”
The group has engaged laywer Dominica Tannock, who represents DST Legal and specialises in complex wind farm issues, to represent their campaign against the wind farm.
“There are 20 immediate neighbouring properties impacted,” Ms Smithwick said.
“A letter drop will be happening in the area advising people of the campaign.
“We are going to fight to the end.”
A petition has been set up in the Cobden Post Office calling for an end to the proposal.
Ms Smithwick said there is also uncertainty about the effects of wind farms on people and the minimum distance they should be located from dwellings.
“Health advice is that wind farms should be two kilometres from homes, so why have they changed it to one kilometre from dwellings to be able to fit them into areas such as ours,” she said.
“Turbines were 120 to 150 metres high when it was taken back to one kilometre from dwellings, now these turbines are going to be 250 metres high which is the equivalent to the Rialto and the blades the size of the MCG Oval and the distance is still one kilometre.
“These wind turbines that are going in our community are the biggest ones in the Southern Hemisphere.”
Corangamite Shire Coast Ward councillor Jamie Vogels also had concerns about the buffer zone of the wind farm.
He called on the government to restore the minimum two kilometres buffer zone of 10 times the height of the structure from family homes.
The Mumblin Wind Farm proposal was expected to be submitted to the Minister for Planning in 2022.
A community meeting has been organised for November 25 at the Ecklin Hall from 7.30pm.
Concerned residents are encouraged to attend to hear from the lawyer, fellow residents and Corangamite Shire councillors.
Are you concerned about the impacts of the proposed wind farm or would you like to see it go ahead?
Send your thoughts to ctctimes@wdnews.com.au or send a letter to Cobden Timboon Coast Times, 124 Manifold Street, Camperdown, VIC, 3260.
