Far North elder vows to fight for Daintree Microgrid Project

Far North traditional owners still reeling from an unprecedented natural disaster have been delivered another blow with the federal government backing out of a major $20m renewable project.

Elder, Aunty Francis Walker moved to Cairns prior to the Far North flood where she has remained to receive medical treatment.

An Eastern Kuku Yalanji elder is seeking answers following the federal government’s shock decision to pull funding for a renewable energy project in the heart of the world’s oldest living rainforest.

But Aunty Francis Walker has vowed to fight on for southern Cape York communities desperate to stop burning hundreds of litres of diesel each week to power the region’s homes and businesses.

Artist impressions show the full extent of plans to create a new microgrid in the Daintree with a large solar farm. Picture: Supplied

After decades of lobbying, traditional owners stood at the forefront of Australia’s renewable energy future in 2022 when former Prime Minister Scott Morrison awarded nearly $20m to the Volt Advisory group.

Under the deal, Volt would work in partnership with Eastern Kuku Yalanji peoples to establish the Daintree Microgrid Project which would include an 8MW solar farm and a 1MW hydrogen plant at Cow Bay.

Eastern Kuku Yalanji elder Aunty Francis Walker is seeking answers from climate and energy minister Chris Bowen after funding for the Daintree Microgrid Project was pulled recently.

The project would deliver new jobs and allow residents to sustainably generate their own power in an environmentally sensitive region, bordered by two World Heritage Areas, Ms Walker said.

“If this project does go ahead, we will be the first Indigenous peoples in Australia to (partly) own a renewable energy resource like this,” she said.

“It would help bring back people … and create employment in our community.”

Climate and energy minister Chris Bowen met with Aunty Francis Walker in June. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

But the funding agreement is now dead with the Commonwealth having walked away from the project after proponents reportedly failed to meet contractually obligated requirements.

“The project received $1.55m in grant funding during the course of the grant agreement, with funding provided following the achievement of one milestone in the grant agreement, plus an advance payment to assist with project cashflow,” a spokeswoman for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said.

“The Business Grants Hub in the Department of Industry, Science and Resources worked with the Daintree Microgrid Project to meet requirements.

“The Business Grants Hub advised the grantee on 28 August 2024 that the project had been unable to achieve its objectives by the end date of the grant agreement, and that no further funding was available after the 2023-24 financial year.”

Having met with climate and energy minister Chris Bowen in June, Ms Walker said she felt “let down” to have learned the project had been dumped.

“To hear about it now is upsetting,” she said. “(It’s) very disappointing. I was very angry when I was told that the funds were withdrawn.

“He (Chris Bowen) is OK. He’s living in Canberra having all those benefits. But what about us living in remote communities?”

The remains of the Bana Yirriji Art and Cultural Centre and cafe at Wujal Wujal after the flood that peaked on December 17. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

Last year, Ms Walker’s home of Wujal Wujal, located 180km north of Cairns, was devastated by Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the surging flood that inundated 26 homes, forcing the entire community to be evacuated by the army in December.

The project had served as a beacon of hope for the community which lost so much in the flood, the respected elder said.

“I want something to happen,” Ms Walker said.

“I don’t want our future generations to be doing what I’m doing. It’s exhausting. There have been heaps of talks with government and engaging various people.

“There needs to be something for the betterment of us. I’m 60 years old. I want my grandkids to enjoy something that I’ve been lobbying many years for.

“I want to leave that legacy.”

Ms Walker, who has lived in Cairns for the last year to receive dialysis treatment, said she wouldn’t give up on the sustainable energy project.

“I’m jungudji (strong) and hopefully jungudji can benefit our future,” she said.

“I hope and pray that the funding that was allocated for this can be reallocated to us.

“Why should we have to seek the funding from overseas? We want to use our resources for our sustainability and renewable energy.”

Daintree businessman Lawrence Mason has been a vocal advocate for renewable energy in the Daintree.

Cape Tribulation businessman Lawrence Mason said the Daintree community had campaigned for decades for the project.

“It makes no sense at all,” Mr Mason said. “The diesel engines we’re using are extremely polluting, designed in the 1970s.

“It would mean much less pollution in the World Heritage-listed rainforest. It’s hard to work out a reason why this isn’t happening.”

Far North MP Warren Entsch has attacked Labor over their handling of the Daintree Microgrid Project. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

In his valedictory speech, Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch slammed the government’s withdrawal of funds as an “act of political bastardry”.

“Minister Bowen, his department and his bureaucrats have done everything in their power to prevent this project from going ahead,” Mr Entsch told parliament earlier this week.

Volt director Richard Schoenemann said the proponents still plan to build the microgrid with the company currently seeking foreign investment.

It’s understood the decision to pull the funding was made independently of Minister Bowen.

Originally published as Far North elder vows to fight for Daintree Microgrid Project