Wind Prospect proposes massive, $1bn wind farm north of Adelaide at Whyte Yarcowie

A $1bn wind farm in the Mid North would create hundreds of jobs and power a quarter of a million homes – but conservationists fear for a 20cm-long lizard.

Environmentalists are warning a proposed $1bn wind farm that could power hundreds of thousands of South Australian homes would destroy the habitat of an endangered miniature lizard.

Renewable energy infrastructure developer Wind Prospect has applied for a licence to develop a huge wind farm outside the 50-person town of Whyte Yarcowie in the Mid North, with 83 wind turbines up to 250m tall.

The proposal has attracted controversy because it would raze 49ha of the state’s 50,000ha Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grasslands, which is recognised as a “threatened ecological community” and one of the few remaining habitats of the endangered pygmy blue-tongue lizard.

Land outside of Whyte Yarcowie proposed for a new wind farm. Picture: Supplied

The pygmy blue tongue lizard pictured at the SA Museum.

A written application, submitted to the Department of Energy and Mining, said the project’s capital expenditure was estimated to be more than $1bn and was expected to directly create 240 full time-equivalent jobs during construction.

Once operational, the Whyte Yarcowie Wind Farm would supply about 500 to 600 megawatts of energy to the state’s grid – enough to power 280,000 homes and businesses.

While the development would clear a relatively small section of the threatened grasslands, Conservation Council SA chief executive Kirsty Bevan said the cumulative impact of this and other wind farm projects on the same grasslands was “devastating”.

“All of a sudden you start seeing a much greater impact that is going to be irreparable,” she said. “We are going to start to see clearance of things that just cannot be returned.”

Her comments were echoed by botanist Meg Robertson, who said the government should refuse the developer’s application if they could not amend it to avoid impacting threatened plant communities and species.

Wind turbines stretch across the horizon at dusk. Picture: AP / Charlie Riedel

“It’s not really practical to recreate a grassland,” Ms Robertson said.

Wind Prospect managing director Ben Purcell said the development site was of a high quality, with strong wind resources and good proximity to transmission infrastructure.

“Our team has spent years studying the land, listening to locals, and designing a project that makes a meaningful contribution to South Australia’s clean energy future,” he said.

“We take seriously our responsibility to minimise environmental impacts and welcome the rigorous process set out under South Australia’s renewable energy legislation.”

Environmentalists have previously protested proposed wind farms at Goyder South and Goyder North, which would destroy parts of the same grasslands, and the Twin Creek Wind Farm near the Barossa, which would encroach on the same 20cm-long lizard’s habitat.

A state government spokesman said it was “up to proponents to develop their projects and seek the necessary approvals under the appropriate legislation”.

“Any valid project proposals will be assessed against criteria that consider the needs of the environment, landowners, communities, and the state’s strategic and economic ambitions,” he said.

Wind Prospect’s application is open for public feedback until August 1.