Five wedge-tailed eagle nesting sites found within proposed St Patricks Plains wind farm location in Tasmania’s Central Highlands

The latest findings as part of research conducted for the St Patricks Plains wind farm in Tasmania’s Central Highlands reveal how many endangered wedge-tailed eagle nests are on the proposed site.

FIVE wedge-tailed eagle nests have been found within the project area of the proposed St Patricks Plains Wind Farm in the Central Highlands.

The findings of a survey locating the nests of the endangered bird was included in the referral by proponent Epuron under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act last week, which is up for public consultation until August 28.

The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm would be located on the Highland Lakes Rd. The project would have up to 67 turbines and would produce up to 300 megawatts once operational. The height of each tower would be 150m with the blade length 90m.

Epuron's proposed site for the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm in Tasmania's Central Highlands. Picture: SUPPLIED

The referral, which has been published on the Department of Environment and Energy website, outlined the possible impact the project could have on wedge-tailed eagles.

“Wind farms are known to have direct impacts on this species, through collision with turbine blades, and indirect impacts due to habitat loss and disturbance during nesting,” the referral read.

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“The unmitigated proposal has the potential to have a significant impact on this species within the project area.”

But Bird Life Australia Raptor Group state representative Nick Mooney said that even this prediction of danger is primitive, as the survey included a buffer zone of 1km around the nesting sites.

“Unfortunately the 1km is completely arbitrary in terms of protecting eagles from physical danger and looks increasingly bizarre in the face of ever taller turbines which almost loom over some nests,” Mr Mooney said. Project wind and site engineer Sandra Weinhold said eagle use maps from other projects had shown that a higher level of eagle use occurs within 1km of nest sites.

Ms Weinhold said the next step was to conduct an eagle utilisation survey.

“Once we know how the eagles use the area and where the hot spots are, we will review and amend the turbine layout if necessary to avoid high activity areas for proposed turbine locations,” she said.

“It is very important for us to carry out detailed and systematic investigations to inform the design of the project and avoid and minimise significant risks to eagles during the construction as well as operation of the wind farm.”

Epuron have delivered 17 renewable energy projects across the nation since 2003.