‘Cruel’ or ‘wise’: Powerlink’s decision process evaluated

A Gympie councillor has called for Powerlink to ‘apologise’ to residents, saying the consultation process was ‘cruel’. But not everyone agrees. Find out what they said:

Powerlink transmission line to Woolooga from Borumba Dam stirs comment.

The announcement of the selected powerline route connecting pumped hydro electricity from Borumba Dam to the Woolooga substation has been met with a mixed reaction of disgust and approval.

The selected 1km powerline corridor will first leave Borumba Dam and run through parts of Yabba State Forest, an area that Imbil resident and geographer Ian Stehbens has been working to preserve.

The chosen route to the west meant it would have the least impact on people, despite it not connecting to existing powerline infrastructure via Amamoor, or being the shortest route via Widgee.

Powerlink has announced a recommended “western” high voltage transmission line connecting Borumba Dam to Woolooga substation. Picture: Supplied

If not for consultation, it would have had more adverse effects on the wildlife and vegetation of the region’s pristine landscapes.

Mr Stehbens has been driving for Yabba State Forest to become national park. He said Powerlink’s consultation process had been well-thought out and collaborative.

Ian Stehbens has been a driving force in in a campaign to have Yabba State Forest declared a national park. Picture: Patrick Woods Photography

“The route they’ve chosen has been a very wise one where it has least impact and avoids areas to be preserved,” Mr Stehbens said.

He was particularly concerned with the preservation of areas around Kingaham Gorge. The initial proposal suggested the route cross the gorge and head to Kilcoy Murgon Rd.

“We notified them that there was some very sensitive indigenous sites they needed to avoid from an along with wildlife that deserve the greatest protection. They acceded to that straightaway,” he said.

Yabba Falls in Yabba State Forest. Picture: Patrick Woods Photography

“It (the powerline path) goes around the whole headwaters of Mudjimba Creek, which is a very high quality habitat with areas of diverse vegetation that needs absolute protection.

“I think we’ve got the best option, they’ve chosen to operate on excellent consultation with the community, listening to the voices and done a very good quality environmental analysis and wise planning.”

Gympie councillor for the Mary Valley, Bob Fredman, offered a very different perspective of the consultation process.

He insisted Powerlink apologise to the people of the Valley for the anguish and anxiety they caused by proposing a powerline run through their land.

“I think that if they didn’t know the ideal route was to the west, they should have known,” Mr Fredman said.

“To inflict the whole question on the people of the Valley I think has been cruel.”

Moving northward the powerline goes onto the majority of the 129 private properties it is destined to impact.

Mary Valley Action Group hung a sign over a semi-trailer in protest of the construction of possible transmission lines to connect the pumped hydro project at Borumba Dam to the state grid. Picture: Facebook

Many residents along the 4km wide proposed corridor of Kilkivan and Blacksnake have been vocally opposed to the powerlines, banding and organising in action groups, promising to lock their gates to Powerlink staff and contractors.

The powerline route plans to hug the slope of the range beside Wrattens National Park and Oakview National Park and then join the Ergon distribution line before finaling connecting to Woolooga substation.

Powerlink has announced a recommended high voltage transmission line connecting Borumba Dam to Woolooga substation. Picture: Supplied

The 1km wide route plans to avoid impacting properties under 5ha in size and hugging the slope of the range will reduce the visual eyesore of towers and lines, a complaint that many of the landholders have put forward.

Deputy Gympie Mayor Hilary Smerdon and the elected representative of the Kilkivan region, said council couldn’t do much about it. He noted with more renewable energy in the region, powerlines were “a sign of the times”.

“I sympathise with the people that this has happened to and I've got a property that’s got two transmission lines running through it – it’s something you just have to learn to live with I suppose.”