Frequently Asked Questions

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The Project

Where is the Project?

St Patricks Plains Wind Farm is located in the Central Highlands of Tasmania, about 10 km south-east of Miena and 25km north of Bothwell, in the Central Highlands Local Government Area.

How big is the Project?

The Project will consist of 44 wind turbines with a combined maximum capacity of up to 273MW.

How tall will the turbines be?

The Project will likely utilise Vestas V 162-6.2 MW or larger turbines. These turbines will have a hub height of around 149m and a maximum blade tip height of up to 231m.

Are transmission lines required for the wind farm?

The Project would connect into Waddamana – Palmerston 220kV transmission line. Within the wind farm, the turbines will be connected to each other and to the substations primarily via underground 33kV cabling. The cabling will generally run adjacent to the proposed new access tracks. Several short sections of overhead 330 kV line will also be constructed near Project substations.

Are new roads required for the wind farm?

St Patricks Plains wind farm will construct new unsealed access tracks linking existing Council roads to the turbine locations. In many cases, the new tracks will involve upgrading existing farm tracks, which will also help landowners with farm operations, and potentially emergency responders in the event of bush fires or other emergencies. In all cases, the new access tracks will be designed with the objective of minimising impacts to existing vegetation.

The new access tracks will be unsealed but will be constructed to allow for transport of heavy materials and equipment during construction, and to allow for long-term operation of the wind farm.

St Patricks Plains will be working with Council to assess the local road network and identify any road upgrades required to support project traffic requirements.

Project Impacts

Will there be an impact on flora and fauna?

The proposed development must satisfy the very stringent biodiversity impact assessment requirements of both the Tasmanian Government (via the Environmental Impact Statement – the EIS) and the Federal Government (through the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act).

Specialist consultants have undertaken detailed flora and fauna surveys of the site. Both desktop and field surveys have been conducted to establish the ecological attributes of the land.

St Patricks Plains wind farm is minimising the impact to local flora and fauna through designing the project to avoid areas of high conservation significance. During construction, we will adopt best practice control measures to minimise impacts to biodiversity.

Will turbines affect property values?

Several studies commissioned by the NSW and Victorian governments have examined potential impacts of wind farms on property values and have found no evidence that wind farms lower rural property values, including the Assessment of the Impact of Wind Farms on Surrounding Land Values in Australia (Preston Rowe Paterson, 2013) available here.

What is the economic impact of the project?

Socio-economic modelling of the Project was undertaken and the total expenditure for the development of the project was modelled at $980 million, with 14% or $80.5 million of that spent directly within Tasmania. The modelling suggests that as a result of the project, gross state product in Tasmania would increase by $64.4 million over the construction period, driven by expenditure in materials, professional services, the workforce and associated upstream and downstream industries such as accommodation, services and transport.

How will workers be accommodated for the project?

It is expected that a variety of accommodation options will be used for the Project construction period, ranging from existing locally available accommodation in the Highland Lakes region and surrounding towns such as Bothwell, Miena, Flintstone and Wilburville. The use of existing accommodation in the region offers a positive economic benefit.

Do wind farms impact livestock or farming operations?

The majority of wind farms are developed on agricultural land and wind turbines are very much compatible with existing farming operations. Turbines occupy only a small amount of land, and landowners can continue normal grazing or cropping activities. Livestock has often been seen using turbine towers for shade and shelter from wind and rain. The income provided to landowners hosting wind farm infrastructure can help make farms more resilient to the impacts of droughts, fires and commodity price fluctuations.

Will there be an impact to cultural heritage?

At all times, the project will be developed in compliance with laws regarding the protection of cultural heritage.

Project Benefits

How will the community benefit from the Project?

The project has a Community Benefit Fund of $3,000 per installed wind turbine per annum (indexed to the Consumer Price Index) for the life of the project. This would provide $132,000 each year (indexed to the Consumer Price Index) based on the proposed layout of 44 turbines.

The Project will deliver significant benefits to the local region including:
Significant investment in Tasmania
Opportunities for local contractors and businesses
Up to 200 new jobs expected to be created during construction
Development of new skilled labour in the region within the growing renewable energy industry.

How many jobs will the Project create?

The Project will create up to 200 new jobs during construction. Construction and operation of the Project will require a range of skills including engineering, trades (electrical, mechanical, construction), transport, building material providers, equipment operators, consultants and administrative staff.

Will there be a Community Benefit Fund?

Project Construction

When will construction commence and how long will it take to build the wind farm?

We expect to begin construction in 2027. Construction will take around three years to complete.

Where will water be sourced from?

We understand that water is a critically important issue for the local community. During construction, water will be required for concrete batching, earthworks and dust suppression. The current proposal is to source water from the Shannon River within the project site, from an offtake site managed by Hydro Tasmania in conjunction with the building contractor.

How will turbines be delivered to site?

It is expected that wind turbine components would be shipped to the Port of Bell Bay on the Tamar River in northern Tasmania and transported to the site in early morning convoys via the same route used for the Cattle Hill Wind Farm: Bell Bay Road, East Tamar Highway, Midland Highway and Highland Lakes Road via Bothwell.

The delivery of the larger turbine plant will be undertaken by Oversize and Overmass (OSOM) vehicles. The delivery of the turbine plant will be conducted by a specialist transport company with experience working on wind farm projects. Vehicles are subject to specific permits, ensuring the proposed delivery method is undertaken in a considered manner acceptable to the road authorities. These trips are extraordinarily well-planned and coordinated to ensure public safety and traffic control where required. Drivers are professional and highly experienced.

Delivery of equipment and machinery would generally be isolated trips from suppliers locally and further afield, at the start and end of the project.

Will the local roads be sufficient to transport the wind turbine blades and towers?

To minimise impacts on the local community, we will be using major roads to access the construction site whenever possible.

We will also work with road authorities and local councils to prepare a Traffic Management Plan before construction, describing how we will manage traffic and transport to ensure efficient and safe movements.

How will vehicles access the Project area?

The entrance to the site is off Highland Lakes Road. There are three entrances and all three entrances to the site would require road or junction upgrades and upgrades required outside of the site would be covered in separate approvals. Construction can only commence after the detailed plans required have been finalised and approved.

Is there a Traffic Management Plan?

A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) is being prepared and will set out protocols to maintain road safety. The TMP will incorporate a range of traffic management and mitigation measures outlined in the Traffic Impact Assessment.

What are the hours of construction?

The hours of construction are specified in the development approval. Construction will occur during standard construction hours Monday through Friday 7am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 6pm, with no work on Sundays and public holidays. When works need to happen outside these standard hours, we will provide advance notice and put in place measures to minimise disruption.

How can I register my interest in providing services to the wind farm?

Local suppliers, businesses and property owners are encouraged to register their interest in providing services or accommodation by sending their details via our info email with ‘Supplier enquiry’ as the subject. Construction is currently targeted to commence in Q2 2027.

We will hold contractor information nights in late 2026 as we get closer to the start of project construction.

Operations

Are there any health risks associated with the wind farm?

Numerous reviews of research literature conducted by leading health and research organisations worldwide, including Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), have concluded there is no published evidence to link wind turbines with adverse health effects.

Will there be noise from turbines?

Yes, wind turbines do generate sound, mainly a soft “whooshing” from the blades. For the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm, detailed acoustic modelling and independent review show that predicted noise levels at nearby homes are within strict regulatory limits, which is comparable to a quiet rural setting.

Will the wind turbines have lights?

The visual impact assessment was completed on the premise that obstacle lighting will not be required at the wind farm, noting that to date the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority has not required obstacle lighting at any of the Tasmanian wind farms.

Is there any fire risk?

The Project poses a low risk of fire ignition with appropriate mitigation measures in place and would not present significant limitations to fire services in the event of bushfire in the region.

Fire risks during the operational phases would be managed in line with relevant health and safety legislation. An Emergency Response Plan will be developed and incorporate a Fire Management Plan completed in consultation with the Tasmania Fire Service and local fire chiefs.

Where will water be sourced during Operations?

Once operational, the Project poses a low risk to groundwater and all water requirements would be met using collected rainwater, supplemented by deliveries during periods of dry weather.

Is there any risk to the wedge-tailed eagle?

There will be a minimum 1 km buffer to known wedge-tailed eagle nest sites and installation of wind turbine curtailment technology to minimise collision risk.

Major design revisions have been made to avoid areas used by eagles and the Identiflight curtailment system will be installed to achieve full coverage across the site and minimise collision risk.

Decommissioning

How long will the wind farm operate?

The St Patricks Plains wind farm has been designed to have an operational life of 30 years. At the end of this period, it may be possible to replace some equipment and extend the project for a further period. . The project may also be decommissioned.

What happens at the end of project operations?

The project will be decommissioned at the end of wind farm life. Decommissioning of wind farm infrastructure at the end of project life is a condition of the development consent. In addition, contracts with landowners also require that wind turbines and other infrastructure are removed at the end of the lease term.

What is the decommissioning process?

The decommissioning process would involve the removal of wind turbines, electrical infrastructure and buried cables, and the site would be returned to its former state where practicable.

The concrete foundations will be removed to a depth of at least 500mm, but the bulk of the foundation will be left in-situ. The excavated area will be backfilled with compatible local material and then covered with topsoil to ensure that grazing and farming activities can be resumed.

A Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Plan will be provided to the Director, EPA for approval within three years of completion of construction.

Wind turbines are predominantly made of recyclable materials and approximately 88% of the wind turbine is recyclable. Research and developments in technology continue to advance recyclability of wind turbine components with the aim to achieve 100% recyclability before the end of wind farm operations.