Gin Gin family fight for their home against global solar farm provider

Ahead of a weekend protest, property owners say dreams for their land west of Bundaberg have been dashed after a global conglomerate of solar power providers set up shop quite literally in their backyard. DETAILS.

Eden Regan and Lexa Smith

2 min read

January 11, 2025 - 11:00AM

Michelle Hunt

Michelle Hunt has owned what she calls her “patch of paradise”, just outside of Gin Gin, with her husband for the last 18 years.

Until recently, the couple had plans of building their retirement home on the 25-acre block, but these plans have since been put on hold after a global company set its sights on the surrounding land for a massive solar farm project.

“We don’t have the funds to fight” says property owner, Michelle Hunt, who has been fighting against a solar project going on in her backyard since June 2024.

Ms Hunt claims that in the lead up to construction, there had been no consultation with the property owners in the area, and it was only via a community post she saw online that she was alerted to the project.

The ‘prison fence’ erected on the southern end of the family’s Gin Gin property, with the original corner stay left behind.

In June 2024, after receiving a call from a neighbour about activity near their property, the couple returned home to find 350 metres of their back boundary fence had been removed, with a new “prison-fence” put up in its stead.

Ms Hunt claims the new fence changed the original boundary lines of her property, that she alleges, were not approved in the initial development application submitted by the companies.

In June 2024, the family returned to their property near Gin Gin to find their fence removed and tire tracks throughout the back of their property.

In subsequent meetings with state and federal leaders, Ms Hunt, and a number of other frustrated community members, were told legislation protecting landowners against renewable energy projects were trailing and not much could be done.

Ms Hunt said the contractors for the $150 million project “should have never touched our back fence.”

Desperate for change, Ms Hunt, supported by Libertarian Candidate Jim Willmott, is hosting a community rally at her property on Saturday, protesting what she says has been a four to six metre loss in her land.

Ms Hunt said she once envisioned their rural residential property as sanctuary from the stress of everyday life, but with the solar farm build going ahead, they’re now living on industrial land, which partnered with strict wildlife zoning laws in the area, will likely make any future build more difficult.

“We’re a normal little family... we don’t have the funds to fight [in court],” she said.

“Because it’s green [energy], no one wants to touch it.”

Ms Hunt alleges that the corner post pictured here was installed by GPG and made a new side boundary for the property.

A spokesperson for Global Power Generation said in a comment to media, “at this time, we are actively engaging directly with her working toward a satisfactory resolution. “Our priority is to ensure that all concerns are addressed comprehensively and respectfully.

As such, we believe that a direct dialogue is the most effective approach to achieve a positive outcome for all parties involved,” he said.