Bulli Creek solar farm: Renewable energy project, attached workers camp divides Toowoomba readers

Will a $1.5bn solar farm approved for the Toowoomba region be an “environmental disaster” or “great news” for the nearby small town? Here’s what readers had to say:

A renewable energy developer’s plans to start work on a major solar farm and associated workers camp near a small Toowoomba region town has divided residents on its benefits.

Genex Power was approved by Toowoomba Regional Council last month to build the new temporary workers accommodation on a 27ha parcel along Millmerran-Cecil Plains Rd at Millmerran, just outside the main township.

The facility paves the way for work to start on the 775MW Bulli Creek solar farm, which was approved 10 years ago.

Genex has promised to splash cash in and around Millmerran to help mitigate the impacts of increasing the town’s population by as much as 50 per cent during construction.

3D rendering of proposed Bulli Creek Solar Farm near Millmerran by company Solar Choice. Photo Contributed

These included direct energy rebates worth as much as $1200 for households across Bulli Creek’s four stages, $400,000 for the redevelopment of civic green space Domville Place, a new solar system at the Millmerran Golf Club, $400,000 towards Millmerran State School and pledges to maximise local spend.

Much like virtually all other energy projects, readers were fiercely divided on the solar farm’s perceived benefits and potential impacts.

A non-scientific Chronicle poll was evenly-split over whether energy rebates were considered an acceptable form of compensation.

Here’s what you had to say:

Big boost to small town

Angela

Good on Genex. The infrastructure improvements for the town will last long after the project has been built. It’s a win for Millmeran, a win for Genex and a win for local businesses who will get opportunities out of the construction and ongoing operations.

DarylS

Speaking as an ex Millmerran resident this is great news. More local money, more employment, good for the environment, a drought free income.

Daniel Lucas

Great job! Win Win for the landholders, the livestock and environment!

Wonova Kind

In Europe it is common to see solar farms combined with growing crops and even raising sheep very successfully.

Glenn Littleford

If (rebates are) signed into the conditions of building the farm, then good.

Will be a ‘disaster’ for farmland

Leanne Jones-pfitzner

Stop taking good farming land for this environmental disaster. Put solar panels on all government buildings, shopping centres and carparks etc. We need our farmers, we need our green spaces.

Kerry Lee

No to destroying farm land for polluting so called green energy. Stop destroying the environment.

No more solar or wind farm.

Helen Sutherst

Environmental nightmare, what a waste of farm land and healthy farm land, it will be a toxic dump after this happens.

David Darby

Don’t people know you can’t eat solar but agricultural land produces food

Concerns around benefits to Millmerran

Col Klein

50% more crime. 100% on no locals getting a job.

Ian Bostock

And the little town won’t see a cent of it Toowoomba will suck that dry quickly as it has done to us for the last 15 years and all the people living out of town on shocking gravel roads who don’t have grid power and own their own off grid systems will get nothing.

Brendan Furner

… and that’s why power is so expensive. Bribe money for some.

Stephen Martin

Don’t take the offer it's a bad deal for Queensland.

Richard Ward

Bribery will get you everywhere. Don’t fall for it people. Ask the CEO and the Board of directors to come and live there for 10 years after completion. All these hypocrites will never do that because that is why they build these things miles from where they choose to live.

Originally published as Bulli Creek solar farm: Renewable energy project, attached workers camp divides Toowoomba readers