Property owners devastated at Powerlink QLD drop-in session

The spectre of high-voltage power lines cutting across the Gympie region has left property owners who could be impacted deeply concerned, as public meetings continue and the region is gripped with fresh uncertainty about the Borumba pumped hydro plan.

A crowd of about 100 gathered at the Gympie Showgrounds on Wednesday for another in a series of public meetings hosted by Powerlink on the proposed high-voltage power lines that will connect the Woolooga, Halys and Tarong substations to the Borumba pumped hydro project.

The state government is investigating a potential pumped hydro 2-gigawatt energy storage facility at Borumba Dam, near Imbil, 45 minutes south-west of Gympie. Borumba Dam was chosen for its proximity to the high-voltage transmission network, existing dam infrastructure and location to the Southern Queensland Renewable Energy Zone.

Powerlines spark opposition to multibillion-dollar project

But the spectre of high-voltage lines going through communities and properties between Imbil and those substations has sparked a wave of public concern and pushback, with one public meeting at Blackbutt prompting death threats aimed at Powerlink staff.

Powerlink used a new format at its Gympie meeting, with tables circling the room enabling residents to speak one-on-one with Powerlink representatives.

State offers mea culpa over powerline information failure

The mood was tense, and at least one resident was reduced to tears.

Gympie region property owners at the Powerlink community drop-in session on January 18, 2023 at the Gympie Showgrounds.

Property owners from The Palms, Pie Creek, Eel Creek and Scrubby Creek attended the session, expressing deep concerns about the impact on property values, aesthetics and their homes’ futures.

Pie Creek residents Ian and Maurine Sharkey, who lost their house in floodwaters in 2013, said they had recently gotten back on their feet following that disaster, and it was “gut-wrenching” to have to deal with another worry.

“It’s a trauma you don’t want to go through again,” Mrs Sharkey said.

Mr Sharkey said he felt “deceived” when he finally realised his property was in the firing line of the high voltage corridors following a letterbox drop from Powerlink.

“They said it’s been going on for 12 month. We heard just before Christmas,” he said.

Worried for what the project could mean for her house, another Pie Creek resident broke down as she spoke of the memories she held within her home of 40 years.

Eel Creek farmer Betty Rimmington, while in support of the renewable energy project, was worried about the impact on her own and neighbouring cattle farms should the power lines be close enough to touch their properties.

Betty Rimmington from Eel Creek stands by the map of the proposed power line corridor at the Powerlink community drop-in session on January 18, 2023 at the Gympie Showgrounds.

“They must worry for themselves, health wise, and they must worry for their cattle,” she said.

The Palms resident Susan Scrafton said she was concerned about the risk of the powerline corridor cutting through trees in her garden and devaluing her property, saying she has considered moving in the light of the development.

Susan Scrafton from The Palms stands by the map of the proposed power line corridor at the Powerlink community drop-in session on January 18, 2023 at the Gympie Showgrounds.

“It’s going to be tragic,” she said.

Seconding this, Scrubby Creek resident Greg Hunt said his properties were one of the few in his area that remained uncleared and he had planted trees to build up the vegetation.

“To have to come through and clear a corridor would be pretty devastating,” he said.

Greg Hunt attends the Powerlink community drop-in session on January 18, 2023 at the Gympie Showgrounds.

Powerlink spokeswoman Kiara Bowles said they had received “strong feedback” on the use of state-owned land, biosecurity, visual amenity and compensation and had met with 1200 people across 20 information sessions.

“We are looking at over-head transmission corridor options as part of this process but we will consider undergrounding where feasible,” Ms Bowles said.

“We’re keen to maximise state-owned land whenever we can.”