Fears new wind farm near Oberon could result in Anzac Memorial Drive trees being slashed

An Anzac memorial consisting of a 100-year-old crop of trees is at risk from a new wind farm, locals say.

An Anzac memorial consisting of a 100-year-old crop of trees is at risk from a new wind farm, with furious locals calling on the Minister for veterans to block the move over fears it’ll kill the plants.

The proposal for the Paling Yards wind farm, by the Australian arm of Madrid-based renewable energy giant GPG, features 47 new wind turbines up to 240 metres tall and has caused outrage around the central west town of Oberon.

Current plans for the wind farm, which is yet to receive final approval, would involve the blades and other components being trucked to the site through the tiny village of O’Connell.

O'Connell Anzec Memorial Avenue.

But doing so could require slashing back the trees which make up the war memorial along the O’Connell Avenue Memorial Drive leading to the town.

A May update put out by GPG concedes that studies found that contact from the giant blades would impact the trees by up to a metre, although “no material damage is caused to the trees”.

“GPGA, in consultation with Veteran Affairs, has agreed to certain monitoring and reporting recommendations aimed at the protection of the Avenue of Honour,” the update states, saying a detailed report would be submitted in the future.

The explanation has left local community members and their MP furious over the impact on the memorial.

Bathurst MP and shadow police Minister Paul Toole said the trees are an “icon for the village of O’Connell and a meaningful memorial for the families of WWI veterans who served from the area”.

“This just goes to show that these foreign-owned energy moguls will do anything to make their money making renewable factories, even to the extent of destroying war memorials,” he said.

The O'Connell Memorial Avenue of Trees in Oberon, NSW, which locals say is at risk if a new wind farm goes ahead.

“It is not in the Anzac nor the Australian spirit to prioritise renewable projects over the conservation of a WWI war memorial.

“These companies are money hungry enterprises who think they can run over the top of regional communities.”

Chris Muldoon, a local businessman and a committee member of Oberon Against Wind Towers, said despite the explanation, they had fears over what it would mean for their community.

He had written to Veterans Minister David Harris saying the trees could die if cut back.

“Any Anzac memorial is sacred, particularly for a small community like O’Connell who are very protective about it,” he said.

“The fact that the veteran affairs (department) would even risk it for half a metre is just extraordinary.”

Mr Harris was contacted for comment.

It’s understood the survey stated that 47 large vehicles would “have some minor impact on the trees, less than a metre in 10 locations”.

That would be mitigated by pinning back and “minimal tip pruning of branches”.

GPG was contacted for comment.

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Originally published as Fears new wind farm near Oberon could result in Anzac Memorial Drive trees being slashed