Residents ‘race against time’ to strengthen laws surrounding large-scale big battery projects
It took just weeks for a small group of women to gather 1181 signatures on a petition demanding urgent government action to address serious community concerns about the influx of large-scale battery projects.
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It took four weeks for a determined group of five women to gather 1181 signatures on a petition demanding urgent government action to address their serious community safety concerns about the influx of large-scale battery projects on a corridor of land in their vicinity.
Just six weeks ago Bouldercombe area resident Rebecah Brosnan had never heard of a BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems), now she is the principal submitter on a massive petition tabled at Rockhampton Regional Council this week.
“It’s a race against time,” Ms Brosnan said.
Her five-member working group are pushing for the state government to introduce tougher regulations to properly evaluate “complex and high-risk industrial facilities” which are being currently proposed for “a corridor” of BESS projects to plug into high voltage transmission lines running near Bouldercombe and Gracemere.
Ms Brosnan said there were currently five large-scale industrial Battery Energy Storage Systems proposed within the Gracemere and Bouldercombe, all grouped within a 30km range.
She said two new developments were the Egan’s Hill BESS, located on the corner of R Pierce Rd and Burnett Hwy, and J Pierce Rd BESS, which “is only 2.6km from the residential suburbs of Gracemere and no more than 200m from directly impacted neighbours”.
“It’s the beginnings of a corridor of these battery factories and one I’m the particular neighbour of is the J Pierce one and if it goes ahead, it would be less than 200 metres from my house,” she said.
“There is just some part of me that says it’s there’s no way in hell that that could get through all levels of government and be so close to a home. But the fact is they (Australian Renewable Energy Services) have published that they are looking at submitting (a proposal) to council in early 2026.”
The petition asks Rockhampton Regional Council to “request the minister for state development and planning to urgently impose a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) to regulate the assessment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
“We believe the Rockhampton Regional Planning Scheme is outdated and lacks the necessary, if any, appropriate assessment benchmarks to properly evaluate these complex and high-risk industrial facilities,” the group said in delivering the petition.
“This leaves communities vulnerable to inappropriate development, poor planning decisions, and long-term impacts on community safety, amenity, and land use.
“A TLPI allows local governments to quickly address specific, often localised planning issues by suspending or modifying parts of an existing planning scheme.”
They want to see the TLPI in place before the BESS development applications are considered for approval by council as they say such instruments are not retrospective.
“The BESS developers are looking to tap into the transmission line infrastructure that already exists, which is why there’s a lot happening in that corridor,” she said.
“So they’re popping up everywhere and they’re the current planning scheme means that they’re just assessed as industrial. They’re not full impact assessable because they’re normally attached to one of the big solar and wind projects.
“But these BESS are stand-alone, and they’ve got a couple that just go through as if you’re putting up an industrial shed.”
Ms Brosnan claims these particular BESS do not get assessed for dangers that come with them, referring to her concerns about “lithium, the fire, and genuine risks”.
“Council can’t take them into consideration because it’s not full impact accessible, which is why we said council must use a TLPI mechanism to get something in its planning scheme for these stand-alone BESS because currently they are going though like an industrial shed,” she said.
She said the petition was signed by mostly Bouldercombe and Gracemere residents with a smaller number coming from Rockhampton.
“We did some pop up stalls, local MPs were very supportive (including Senator Matt Canavan, Mirani MP Glen Kelly, Flynn MP Colin Boyce),” she said.
“Most of the signatures came from the efforts of a member for the working group, Sharon Barbour. She did almost all of Gracemere by putting packs in 3000 letter boxes and then we had local businesses where people could drop them off to.”
The working group members also include Mikaela Humble, Petrina Morgan and Kris Thompson who also live near proposed BESS projects.
She said they believe there may be many residents who are unaware of the BESS projects near their properties.
“So we have started a Facebook page that is growing and growing, Gracemere Renewables, and we’ve just published a website CQ Renewable Watch,” she said.
“We aren’t anti-renewable, our Facebook page is created by locals for locals aimed at raising awareness about large-scale battery developments (BESS) proposed in the Gracemere area, and to advocate for transparency, safety, and ensure our community is properly informed and genuinely heard.
“On our Facebook page we have created an objection template (if residents have concerns about an array of issues) because a lot of people can’t look through 260 pages of a DA for Egans Hill or any BESS mind you.”
A spokesman for council confirmed it had formally received the petition at its meeting of July 8, which would now be considered.
The spokesman said council had resolved in June to prepare a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) relating to renewable projects, including battery storage facilities. That work is currently underway.
A TLPI is prepared by council but approved by the minister for planning, who is currently Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, and is effective for up to two years.
A spokesperson for ARES (Australian Renewable Energy Services), who are developing the J Pierce Rd BESS, said the Australian Government aimed to have 82 per cent renewable energy in the electricity grid by 2030 and the Renewable Energy Target (RET) was set to deliver an extra 33,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity from renewable sources every year from 2020 to 2030.
“Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essential infrastructure that support a stable and reliable electricity grid by storing energy for use when it is needed most,” the spokesperson said.
“Planning authorities and relevant regulators overseeing these proposals are experts in their field, with the experience to properly assess the safety, design and viability of these types of projects.
“BESS are still relatively new to many community members, and uncertainty can lead to concern, especially when misinformation is circulated or when isolated incidents are taken out of context.
“This is why communities are invited to engage, to discuss projects, understand the technology and provide feedback. It is an opportunity to share clear and transparent information and to talk about the potential benefits for the local community as well as the broader electricity market.
“For example, Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery technology is globally recognised for its strong safety record. BESS projects also have advanced fire detection and suppression systems, and engagement with local authorities like fire departments, ensure safety strategies are in place.”
The lodged petition stated that a TLPI would serve as a critical interim measure to allow council to:
Manage the land use conflicts between industrial-scale BESS facilities and rural and rural residential zones;
Ensure community safety, given the significant fire and explosion risks associated with lithium-ion energy storage;
Protect amenity from noise, light, and visual pollution;
Prevent further fragmentation of rural land and degradation of landscape values;
Uphold the expectations of affected residents who purchased land in good faith under current zoning protections;
Allow time for Queensland Fire Department to implement stringent safety and design guidelines for Renewable Energy Facilities and Battery Energy Storage Systems — like the Victorian Country Fire Authority’s Model Requirements and Design Guidelines; and
Allow the state government sufficient time to incorporate Battery Energy Storage Systems into the new planning reforms that should ensure BESS undergo the same rigorous approval processes as other major renewable energy developments.
Allow the community the opportunity to have input into the council and Central Queensland Planning Schemes that shape the future. The recommendations from the Planning Scheme’s 10 year review undertaken in 2024 are extensive and will take some time complete.
Rockhampton Region BESS Projects include:
The J Pierce Rd Battery Energy Storage System: ARES, project is located in Queensland within the Rockhampton Regional Council
Occupying 28 acres, the facility will have a 1600 megawatt-hour (MWh) capacity.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, featuring a 275 kV grid connection with Powerlink as the network provider.
Bouldercombe Battery Project: Proponent Genex, Expected Generation 50 megawatts (MW)
Project Location Bouldercombe, 25km south of Rockhampton
Project Status Operational
The Central BESS: ACE Energy, Expected Generation 500 megawatts (MW)
Project Location Bouldercombe, 25km south of Rockhampton
Project Status Development, Project Value $423m, Peak Workforce 55, Operational Workforce five
Capricorn BESS Project: Enel Green Power Australia Expected Generation, 300 megawatts (MW)
Project Location Bouldercombe, 25km south of Rockhampton
Project Status Development, Project Value $500 million, Peak Workforce, 120-150, Operational Workforce, 5-10
The Egans Hill Battery Energy Storage System
Cnr Burnett Highway and R Pierce Rd, Gracemere
Mt Hopeful Wind Farm and BESS Project
The proposed BESS is on South Ulam Road Bajool
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