Kilkivan residents meet with mayors, Powerlink over Borumba powerlines

Emotions ran high at a public meeting of more than 100 people impacted by the preferred Powerlink hydro corridor at Kilkivan on Wednesday, with the Gympie Mayor describing some of Powerlinks’ processes as ‘cruel’.

More 100 people turned up to Kilkivan Town Hall in response to Powerlink's selected corridor of a transmission line from Borumba Dam to Woolooga Substation in late April. Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Picture: Christine Schindler

Powerlink’s announcement of the selected powerline corridor running from the Borumba Dam to Woolooga late last week has thrown landholders along the western reach of Gympie region into confusion, concern, tears and anger.

More than 100 people filed into the Kilkivan Town Hall on Wednesday evening, many of them with properties and houses in the path of the 83km high voltage powerline corridor.

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

An area most affected is Rossmore Rd, south east of Kilkivan.

Mardi Brady shook in anger when she said her whole property at Black Snake fell within a blue 1km-wide study line marked for the final 70m-wide alignment.

Mrs Brady moved to Black Snake three years ago from Brisbane to be a hobby farmer and now she said she was faced with the devaluation of her property – her superannuation – if the towers and powerlines cut through it.

Hobby farmer Mardi Brady stands outside her house in Black Snake near Kilkivan. Her property is on the selected transmission line route from Borumba Dam to Woolooga substation. Picture: Christine Schindler

Another area the blue line runs through is Rossmore Rd, south of Kilkivan. The residents describe it as the most populous part of town.

Ian Davies, Nicole Murnane, Kerry Bognuda and Jen Milligan are some of the residents who live along Rossmore Rd.

Mrs Bognuda said they were all in calling distance of each other, hearing echoes of the neighbours’ kids in the pool and able to catch each other’s attention from balconies and kitchens if they wanted to.

They don’t understand how the powerline route could run through their neighbourhood when the government company in charge of the powerlines, Powerlink, had said no lines would be within 500m of a house. 

Katy McCullum organised a town hall with affected residents at Kilkivan. More than 100 people turned up to Kilkivan Town Hall in response to Powerlink's selected corridor of a transmission line from Borumba Dam to Woolooga Substation in late April. Picture: Christine Schindler

The evening was organised by Katy McCullum, a Kilkivan Action Group organiser who managed to get the Gympie Region Mayor Glen Hartwig and Deputy Mayor Hilary Smerdon to attend because she “coathanged them in Mary Street last week”.

“I think it was a very cruel process to put the people through,” Mr Hartwig said.

South Burnett Mayor Brett Otto also stood up and had some words for the residents, urging them to take the matter to their state and federal MPs. He expressed his disgust at the silence from the conservative LNP members on the matter.

Jim Willmott of Property Rights Australia also spoke to the crowd, asking to see a show of hands over who had felt heard, listened to and consulted on the decision.

No hands were raised.

 

Three Powerlink representatives attended a public meeting in the Kilkivan Town Hall to speak to residents with properties and houses along the selected 1km wide study corridor. Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Picture: Christine Schindler

Three representatives from Powerlink fronted up to the residents for almost two hours, with Powerlink’s technical and delivery executive general manager Ian Lowry answering most of the questions.

Those questions ranged from compensation, land access, the powerline pathway, future developments and what would happen if the owners locked their gates to Powerlink.

“How would you feel if this was your property, what would you do?” Mrs Milligan from Rossmore Rd asked the Powerlink representatives.

Mr Lowry reiterated the importance of speaking to landholders to help assess the best path for the 70m easement and whether or not underground lines could be appropriate.

He assured residents could expect compensation, but was unable to give a blanket statement as each property would have different needs.

More than 100 people turned up to Kilkivan Town Hall in response to Powerlink's selected corridor of a transmission line from Borumba Dam to Woolooga Substation in late April. Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Picture: Christine Schindler

Numerous comments and remarks over future renewable energy projects and transmission lines, health, democracy processes, how they worked and what the area they wanted were also fielded to Mr Hartwig and Mr Lowry.

One lady spoke up over the mental anguish of having to look after a mother with cancer while having the possibility of the added health effects of the powerlines running over both her houses.

A local police officer was in attendance, and although questions and comments from the residents clearly showed their emotions and anguish, everyone treated each other with respect.

Mardi Brady stands up to ask a question about her property. More than 100 people turned up to Kilkivan Town Hall in response to Powerlink's selected corridor of a transmission line from Borumba Dam to Woolooga Substation in late April. Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Picture: Christine Schindler

More 100 people turned up to Kilkivan Town Hall in response to Powerlink's selected corridor of a transmission line from Borumba Dam to Woolooga Substation in late April. Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Picture: Christine Schindler