Media release – Ark Energy, 30 July 2024

Wind farm for Tasmania’s Central Highlands receives planning approval

Ark Energy today received planning approval from Tasmania’s Central Highlands Council for the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm, proposed for the state’s Central Highlands region.

Donna Bolton, Ark Energy’s General Manager Development for Tasmania, said she was pleased with the decision, and the project would be an important one for the local area and the state.

“The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm site is an excellent location for wind energy generation. Grid connection is on-site, residual environmental impacts can be managed and the wind resource is excellent. This project will deliver much needed new renewable electricity generation to help Tasmania benefit from its world leading wind resource and achieve its renewable energy target, as well as bring a wide range of benefits for the local community and region.

“We thank our host landowners and community members for their ongoing support, and look forward to progressing the project and providing more information to the growing list of local residents, suppliers and business owners excited by the opportunity to be part of this project. To date we have received interest from 40 Tasmanian-based companies and for 50 local properties, to provide services and accommodation during construction,” Ms Bolton said.

Council’s approval in its capacity as Planning Authority follows receipt of the Environment Protection Authority Tasmania’s (EPA) environmental conditions set by the Board of the EPA. The EPA, which also assessed matters protected under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act), found “the proposal is capable of being managed in an environmentally acceptable manner”.

The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm had been in development since 2019 and underwent several design iterations, including removal of 20 wind turbines, to avoid environmental impacts, minimise visual impacts and address community concerns.

“We have worked hard to avoid and minimise potential environmental impacts, and the unavoidable environmental impacts are manageable, as shown by the EPA’s report.

“The Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle has been a key species of focus. Proactive avoidance and the latest technology have been combined to achieve the least impact possible to Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles. Major design revisions have been made to avoid areas used by eagles and the Identiflight curtailment system will be installed across the site to minimise collision risk,” Ms Bolton said.

“We will continue to seek to minimise environmental impacts, be a good neighbour to those around the project area, and work diligently to deliver benefits from the project to the local community and wider region.”

Ark Energy will now consider the conditions issued with the permit approval and looks forward to receiving a final decision under the EPBC Act from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm consists of 47 wind turbines and ancillary infrastructure across several properties used mostly for livestock grazing and forestry, and will have a generation capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MW).

This is the first planning approval in Tasmania for Ark Energy and follows approval earlier this year for its 347 MW Bowmans Creek Wind Farm to be located in the NSW Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone. Ark Energy has utility-scale renewable electricity generation projects in development in Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland.

Further information on the project is available at www.stpatricksplainswindfarm.com.au


Media release – Nick Duigan, Minister for Energy and Renewables, 30 July 2024

St Patricks Plains Wind Farm approval welcomed

The Tasmanian Government welcomes the Central Highlands Council’s decision to approve the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm development.

Minister for Energy and Renewables, Nick Duigan, said Ark Energy’s 47 turbine project in the central highlands will have a generation capacity of up to 300MW.

“It is good to see progress being made on projects like this. It’s great news and is another big step in growing Tasmanian’s renewable energy resource” Minister Duigan said.

“This project will also make a significant contribution to achieving our Renewable Energy Target, to double energy production by 2040.

“Our State needs new renewable generation to support our growing economy, including expanding existing, and new industries.”

Any renewable energy development is subject to rigorous and independent development, environmental and cultural heritage assessments across the three tiers of Government, with public consultation a critically important part of that process.

“It’s this Government’s expectation that developer’s engage with stakeholders and communities to work proactively with them in developing solutions that minimise any potential impact of developments,” Minister Duigan said.

“It’s good to see this has happened.”

Minister Duigan has now called on the Federal Labor Government to give this project a timely decision under the EPBC Act.

Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future focuses on increasing our renewable energy generation to help ensure Tasmania continues to have some of the lowest power prices in the nation.


Media release – Keep Tasmania’s Highlands Unique – No Turbine Action Group, 30 July 2024

St Patricks Plains Wind Farm approved by Central Highlands Council

The Keep Tasmania’s Highlands Unique – No Turbine Action Group, formed in opposition to the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm, said today’s decision by the Central Highlands Council to approve the construction of the 47-turbine project is a travesty.

“You can kiss the central highlands goodbye, as we know it” said NTAG chair David Ridley.

The council sat, acting as a Planning Authority. However, three recused themselves from the panel due to perceived conflicts of interest – leaving just six to make the big decision.

The public meeting in Bothwell lasted about an hour and forty minutes, during which 10 speakers were given five minutes each to address the Planning Authority. Only two spoke in favour of the project – a landowner who will host several turbines, and the proponent’s planner.

Not all councillors gave detailed reasons for their decisions – some happy to rely on advice from the EPA and their contracted consultant. Only one dissented, believing that with only two-and-a-half working days to review 1300 pages of information, she could not make an informed decision. The project was approved 5:1.

Greg Oates is an adjoining landowner to the development. He made it clear to the council before they voted that no consideration had been made of existing use or the impact on his property from the development. No-one, including the council’s consultant, had visited him or his wife at their home. “In all, it’s a very selective report that clearly doesn’t include us.“

NTAG chair David Ridley stated to the Planning Authority after the verdict: “With turbines about 400 metres from a boundary, this project is clearly not compliant, and is an appalling decision by council.”

“We will be seeking legal advice on our next steps from our counsel, Dominica Tannock, who represented NTAG at the meeting,” Mr Ridley said.