Work starts on $130m Woolooga Solar Farm

The long-awaited transformation of Gympie’s west into a multi-million dollar renewable energy hub is underway, with work starting on the first solar farm expected to create more than 260 jobs during construction.

The long-awaited transformation of Gympie’s west into a multi-million dollar renewable energy hub has begun, with construction underway on the $130 million Woolooga solar farm.

Workers have begun clearing land opposite the Woolooga substation off the Wide Bay Highway, which will become home to the 210 Megawatt farm.

More than 400,000 solar panels will be installed across 650ha of land north of the highway.

Developers Lightsource BP were given approval by Gympie Regional Council to build the solar hub in December 2019.

Workers have begun clearing land opposite the Woolooga substation off the Wide Bay Highway, for the 210 Megawatt farm.

The council’s planning department approved the project under delegation.

The company spent late 2020 and early 2021 buying up other properties along the highway.

It outlaid almost $10 million for five blocks of land near the highway, including $1.84 million for a 110ha cattle farm owned by Gympie deputy mayor Hilary Smerdon since 2007.

The solar farm is being built directly opposite the Lower Wonga substation on the Wide Bay Highway.

Last month the company secured $330 million to fund two solar developments in Australia, including the Woolooga development.

The funding came from Westpac in Australia, and international companies EDC, ING, and Intesa Sanpaolo.

The company’s case study for the project said it would create up to 260 jobs during construction, with the aim of at least 35 per cent of these being filled by Gympie residents.

The farm will be spread across 650ha of land once finished. Lightsource expects construction to be complete by mid-2022.

The farm will be able to produce 430,000 Megawatt hours of renewable energy.

Once finished it will be capable of powering more than 63,000 Queensland homes and save more than 350,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions.

Work on the solar farm is expected to be finished by mid-2022.

The farm is one of three solar energy developments approved for the area, including a proposed $2 billion development by SolarQ understood to now be in limbo.