Moonlight Range Wind Farm near Rockhampton at next approvals stage

A new proposed wind farm for the Rockhampton region has reached the next stage in the approvals process.

A proposed wind farm project in the Rockhampton region has reached the next stage in the

A new wind farm project in the Rockhampton region has reached the next stage in the approvals process with invitation for public comment open on the proposed infrastructure.

A referral document for the Moonlight Range Wind Farm and Battery Energy Storage System was recently lodged with the Federal Government, through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

The document outlines the potential environmental impacts the project will have during its construction and details about the project as a whole.

Greenleaf Renewables, an independent project developer, is proposing to build the $1 billion Moonlight Range Wind Farm on farmland at Morinish South near Rockhampton.

The project is proposed to be made up of 97 wind turbines all standing up to 280m tall, with a rotor diameter of 182m.

A battery energy storage system will also be constructed at the site.

If approved, construction is expected to begin in 2026, with a lifespan of up to 35 years when complete.

Once complete the wind farm will be able to power more than 260,000 homes, and would have a 275kV connection into the Powerlink network.

According to the referral document the project area is a total of 21,790.9ha, with the disturbance footprint encompassing 1269ha, 5.8 per cent, of the project area.

The document says to facilitate the construction of the wind farm, including excavation and access roads, there would be an “unavoidable” requirement for vegetation to be cleared.

“Access corridors have been designed to utilise the existing topography of the land, minimising the impact corridor to 46m wide in most areas (including cleared areas for construction and permanent infrastructure),” the document says.

According to the document Greenleaf Renewables has undertaken “extensive” consultation with affected landholders, Darumbal elders, Rockhampton Regional Council and the community.

The project area is predominantly rural and is used for cattle grazing.

During the planning stages of the project ecologists visited the site to do surveys of the area.

While no evidence of greater gliders or koalas were found by ecologists during their surveys, they did note the potential use of the land for foraging and habitat.

Public comment on the project is open until January 18, and can be viewed on the EPBC Act website.

Originally published as Moonlight Range Wind Farm near Rockhampton at next approvals stage