The North Queensland Super Hub will comprise a number of individually utility-scale projects.
The first projects are the 800MW Prairie Wind Farm and the 1000MW Wongalee Wind Farm currently in detailed planning.
All proposed wind farm developments in Queensland are subject to stringent assessment under Local, State and Federal regulations.
State requirements
All wind farms in Queensland must meet Queensland’s State Code 23 assessment provisions.
State Code 23 requires us to analyse the proposed project’s impact on a range of community, environmental and heritage values, and demonstrate clear plans for mitigating or managing these impacts.
Our approach is informed by close engagement with our host community, the knowledge of Traditional Owners and expert advice to ensure a robust proposal in line with community expectations.
Farms in Queensland must also comply with Queensland’s Vegetation Management Act 1999 and Nature Conservation Act 1992.
The Flinders Shire Council, as a Referral Agency, provides input to the planning approval.
Federal requirements
Wind farms must also be assessed against the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 . Both Prairie and Wongalee are progressing through the EPBC process, with the preliminary documentation for Prairie and the referral for Wongalee submitted.
This robust regulatory review process can take a number of years to complete during which time we will prioritise keeping the community informed,and providing opportunities for stakeholders to have input into project design.