Farmers fighting back against Twiggy’s Net Zero mission

As billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest urges Australia to drastically reduce emissions, the tiny NSW country town of Bookham is at war with his renewables empire.

A tiny NSW country town has split over a massive green project run by one of Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s companies. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

As billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest tours the world spruiking renewable energy and urging Australia to drastically reduce emissions, a tiny NSW country town has split over a massive green project run by one of his companies.

Residents of Bookham, a three-hour drive southwest of Sydney and home to little more than 100 people, are taking on Squadron Energy’s plan to build a massive wind farm next to their properties.

This project, like many others required on the path to Net Zero, has divided the community and caused multi-generational farming families to fall out with one another.

Squadron Energy made secret arrangements with certain landowners around Bookham, who are in line for big money payments for their co-operation.

Their neighbours can’t understand the decision to take the money and host the massive turbines – and have accused them of ‘selling out’ for the cash

Derek Bush, whose family bought in Bookham more than 50 years ago, has told The Saturday Telegraph of his “disgust” when he discovered a nearby farm had made deals behind his back.

“Suddenly we were given a map showing where all the turbines were. Most of us fell over in disgust. Why would you sell out?” Mr Bush said.

Realising the green energy takeover may be inevitable, Mr Bush and his neighbours are calling for the project to be moved as far away from their properties as possible. The closest turbines are planned to be built just 300 metres from Mr Bush’s boundary fence.

Derek Bush details Squadron Energy’s plans to The Daily Telegraph in Bookham. Picture: Martin Ollman

“I don’t want money from Squadron. Every time we’ve had a meeting, I’ve told them I do not want to be compensated. I just want the turbines far enough back that I’m not impacted. I don’t want to hear them. There’s plenty of people who want the turbines – but why should a neighbour have to put up with their impact,” he claimed.

In a statement, Squadron Energy said the Bookham project was “in the early stages of planning and community consultation” and claimed “the host landowners and the majority of nearby neighbours strongly support the project”.

Sarah Weir, a local sheep farmer, whose family lives near Squadron’s plans, has described the incoming wind farm as “a runaway freight train” which was “tearing regional towns apart”.

“It’s so distressing. It has divided close-knit communities. And we always have to be resilient and rely on our neighbours to pull together.” she said.

Her husband David adds: “Our neighbours are the ones we go to in order to get through the hard times. Fires, floods, drought … up and down market prices. We have always previously been able to band together.”

Sam Weir, Susan Bush, Derek Bush, David Weir and Sarah Weir oppose the Bookham Wind Farm. Picture: Martin Ollman

Mr Weir said he could understand why some people had made deals.

“People who have signed up to host turbines are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. They are going to be looking at them anyway, so I guess you may as well make a bit of money out of a bad situation.”

The couple last year started construction on a new house on their property, but said they would have had second thoughts about building the house if the proposed wind project was public knowledge at the time.

Permanent reduction in land value and loud noise from the turbine blades remain the primary issue from locals, raising questions the farmers say no one has been able to effectively answer.

David’s father Sam Weir, who is involved with the local Rural Fire Service, also warned Bookham was “unfortunately in quite a fire-prone area”.

“It’s not ‘if’ there will be another fire, it’s ‘when.’ We have recently had the ability to request aerial support, which has been a game changer. But with the installations of these turbines, each 270 metres tall, we fear we won’t have as much aerial assistance,” Mr Weir claimed.

A map published by Squadron Energy showing wind turbine locations around Bookham. Source: Squadron Energy

Squadron Energy has done its best to hose these concerns down, claiming in its most recent update that it was required to “assess the risks associated with fires, given the proximity of the projects to bushfire prone land”.

“Agency guidelines require a minimum 300 metre separation between turbines to allow safe aerial firefighting and that operators must shut down turbines and rotate them into a uniform ‘Y’ position during fire events,” the company advised.

The local Yass Valley Council has joined the fight on behalf of these farmers, voting to oppose any additional wind projects.

The council estimates more than 700 turbines have either been built, are in development or have been proposed in the NSW Southern Tablelands alone.

“We’ve looked at the cumulative impact and said enough is enough,” Yass Valley Mayor Jasmin Jones claimed.

“We are at a saturation point for wind turbines. Our policy is, while we are for renewable energy, we have done our heavy lifting and we are at capacity. So no more,” she said.

Any push-back from council, however, will be largely ineffective. Most large-scale renewable energy projects are offered special, fast-tracked assessment as “state significant” under NSW planning laws.

NSW Premier Chris Minns was this week asked about the impact green projects were having on country towns, including the towns of Bowning and Binalong, which this masthead revealed this week have overwhelmingly rejected a separate large-scale project in their backyard.

While Mr Minns said the government shouldn’t be “steamrolling” landowners, he insisted NSW could not afford to “lose a day” in the path to reduce emissions.

“Even if we delay a month, if it’s six months, if it’s 12 months, the people who repay are mum and dad energy users across the state.”

A window into what can happen in regional communities hosting large-scale green projects exists an hour away from Bookham, in the small town of Rye Park.

The community is now home to the largest wind project in NSW, run by the Australian-owned Tilt Renewables, and has been heralded by the Minns government as “playing a vital role in keeping the lights on”.

Ron Veness with his son, Gary, and great-grandson, Levi, 6, on their property at Rye Park, with wind turbines in the background. Picture: Martin Ollman

While it’s new-found energy supply is drastic, a recent visit by this masthead to Rye Park drew comparisons to a ghost town.

The local school has closed. The streets were deathly quiet and the jobs promised from the green revolution have dwindled down to just a handful of turbine maintenance opportunities.

Rye Park farmer Ron Veness recalls the tens of thousands of trucks that thundered past his home during the construction phase, carrying the giant pieces and humungous concrete slabs required to hoist each turbine into the air.

“I could’ve done a deal. They wanted me to. But, in the end, I refused.” Mr Veness said, as he fed sheep and lambs with his 6-year-old great-grandson Levi, while wind turbines hover near his property.

He could have been in line for a life-changing amount of cash, but Mr Veness argues, his land is priceless.

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Originally published as Farmers fighting back against Twiggy’s Net Zero mission