Netherdale landowners speak out against State Government hydro plan

Residents of a rural town in the flood firing line of the Premier’s pumped hydro plan have likened the shock news to “being told someone is going to bulldoze your house to put a bike track in”.

Heartbroken homeowners, whose properties will be flooded if Queensland’s new hydro project goes ahead, have labelled the project “half-baked” and “ludicrous”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the Pioneer-Burkdekin pumped hydro project during her annual state of the state address on Wednesday.

The project, 75km west of Mackay, outlines three dams including two upper reservoirs in the Burdekin catchment that feed into a lower reservoir below in Netherdale, where 50 homes would need to be relocated.

Netherdale homeowners and retirees Ron and Debbie Pearsons said they were completely blindsided by the news.

“Basically, we didn’t know anything until our neighbour rang yesterday,” Mr Pearsons said.

“It was like an April Fool’s Day prank … like someone ringing you up and saying they’re going to bulldoze your house because they’re going to put in a bike track.”

Mr Pearsons said when they collected their mail in nearby Finch Hatton, they discovered a four-page “Dear John” letter revealing their property could be affected.

A letter delivered to residents including Ron and Debbie Pearsons.

“We’ve been here, thinking we’re going to have a retirement place.

“I’m 74, then you get this bloody rubbish out of the blue.

“It just seems so ludicrous, it’s very hard to comprehend.”

Since finding out about the plan, Mrs Pearson has been phoning the Queensland Hydro hotline.

“It sounds like they don’t know the area, they didn’t even know there was a mango factory above us,” she said, adding she was dubious the government’s promise the hydro project would not disrupt the Eungella National Park.

It is understood that after news of the hydro pump broke, local pub, the Criterion Hotel, was abuzz with residents anxious trying to figure out how it would impact their small community.

For Netherdale residents Win and James ‘Jim’ Arnold, they are still waiting to read their letter.

“At the moment we’re just coming back from Cairns, we only heard about it yesterday through our daughter who saw it on the news,” Mr Arnold said.

Netherdale residents Win and James Arnold say they were not warned about a shock plan for a hydro project which would put their property under water.

“It’s a surprise … but it may be all political bulls**t.”

Mrs Arnold said she had “wanted to sit down and cry” as the couple contemplated what would become of the property they had spent 20 years “getting up to scratch” including clearing it of lantana.

“I think it was very poor that this is how we found out, through everybody, friends and family, because they’d seen a snipped on the news,” she said.

“We feel totally abandoned, that we don’t matter.

“And it doesn’t matter what we think, feel or say, you can just kiss it goodbye.”

Supplied pictures of Win Arnold’s property at Netherdale which may have to make way for the Queensland Government's Pumped Hydroelectric dam

Mirani MP Stephen Andrews, who met with Netherdale residents on Friday, said the project was “absolute hypocrisy” and “double standards” at the highest levels.

“It breaks your heart,” Mr Andrews said.

“(Residents) were devastated, devastated about how such a beautiful place can be consumed by such a waste of time.”

“They’re concerned about the wildlife, their futures, and their children’s futures.

“They’re concerned about the overreach of the government, the hubris of the government.”

Mr Andrews said the hotline was leaving calls unanswered and the project’s costs to energy bills, people, nature and rural Queensland were unfeasible.

“It’s almost as if the government’s become middle management for pie in the sky ideas from corporations or people from all over the place to dip into these coffers,” he said.

Cattle in the stream at the Arnold property at Netherdale.

He also believed it was beggars' belief the government had not focused on wave energy considering the 9m tides and lowly-populated beaches between Mackay and Rockhampton and said it was double standard to tighten environmental controls to benefit the Great Barrier Reef but “to do anything (they) like” to the flora and fauna of the Pioneer Valley in the name of renewable energy.

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert has posted to Facebook that there will be community drop-in sessions for the public to “have their say” between 3 to 7pm at Finch Hatton RSL on October 6, at Eungella Broken River Resort on October 11, and at Mackay Split Spaces on October 12.

Mrs Gilbert said there will be more sessions planned for November.