Molonglo Ridge: no place for a wind farm

Too close to rural residential homes

The ridges targeted for the wind-towers are situated between the Tinderry Mountains and Queanbeyan.

They are surrounded by the rural communities of Wanna Wanna, Radcliffe, Carwoola, Primrose Valley, Urila, Burra, Googong, Fernleigh Park, Talpa, and Wickerslack. There are about 1000 homes in these areas, about 500 on each side of the ridges.

The surrounding land has been zoned by local council as Rural Residential for many years. The communities surrounding the proposed wind farm have not "popped up" overnight. They are thriving, vibrant communities. The closest property is only 500 metres from the boundary of the wind farm site. There are many more within the 1-2 kilometre range. This visibility and proximity map (PDF 82 kb) shows numerous house sites within a 5 km range of the proposed site. When they were considering a suitable site for a wind farm, did EHN fail to notice the these homes?

Pictured: Site of the proposed wind plant from Widgiewa Road, Carwoola. Established homes can be seen in the mid-range, close to the proposed site. [Click on image for an enlarged view].

Wildlife refuges and water conservation areas

The Googong Foreshores water conservation area and wildlife refuge forms the western boundary of the proposed wind-plant site, while the eastern boundary is adjacent to the Yanunbeyan National Park. The Tinderry Nature Reserve and the Burra Creek Nature Reserves are to the south. The Cuumbeun Nature Reserve is to the north. The ranges are in an important wildlife corridor between Lake George and the Tinderry Nature Reserve.

The watercourses on the ranges feed into the Queanbeyan River and Googong catchment areas on the west, and the Molonglo River catchment on the east.

With its proximity to wildlife refuges and major water catchments, it is hard to think of a more unsuitable site for a wind farm. Did EHN not notice the Googong Dam and its escarpment? Did they not notice that the land adjoining the site was wildlife habitat and a refuge? When EHN were looking around for a site to build their 60 turbine wind farm, what was it that attracted them to the Molonglo Ridge? Was it the visibility to Canberra that was the attraction (if they can build one there, they can build one anywhere)?

Pictured: The Googong Dam, Canberra's largest water storage dam, from the site of the proposed wind plant. EHN are planning to construct turbines on the ridge in the foreground, close to the water conservation area. The wooded ridges are typical of those in the area and are important wildlife habitat and refuge. [Click on image for an enlarged view]. Photograph © K M Old.

Landscape values

The Molonglo Ridges are an extremely prominent feature on the regional landscape, and are visible from many parts of Canberra, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Queanbeyan and the surrounding areas.

In the ACT, prominent ridgelines are protected from development. The original planners of Canberra understood that keeping development off ridgelines was important for protecting the landscape heritage. Prominent ridgelines outside of the ACT also deserve protection. This is recognised in Palerang Council's Local Environmental Plan which restricts building on ridgelines. Why do EHN think they can ignore these development constraints?

Within 5 km – and in full view of the proposed wind farm – is the heritage listed London Bridge Homestead complex. A wind farm is not complimentary to the cultural and heritage values of this site (see Environmental Impacts for more information and a photo montage).

Pictured: The proposed wind plant will be visible from homes in Queanbeyan and Canberra. This photograph was taken from the residential area of Talpa Heights, south Queanbeyan. The turbines will be located on the wooded and cleared ridgelines [Click on image for an enlarged view].

The wooded ridges

The ranges contain a number of aboriginal sites, and non-indigenous heritage sites also exist in the area, notably the London Bridge Homestead, woolshed and Natural Arch.

The land use of the proposed site is currently a mixture of grazing, and medium density mature and revegetating woodland, typical of the photograph below. It is not cleared land. The site is surrounded by residential areas and nature reserves.

Pictured: This photograph was taken from the top of the Molonglo Ridge, in the middle of an area where EHN are proposing to construct seven turbines. It is currently a mix of grazing, and medium density mature and revegetating woodland. Located within this area are many habitat trees [Click on image for an enlarged view]. Photograph © K M Old.

Construction = destruction of the natural environment

While EHN make soothing noises about "micro-siting" turbines on top of ridges, the reality of the construction phase is something else.

Look at these photos of the construction of a wind turbines along a mountain ridge in West Virginia, USA on the website of Responsible Wind Org (external link).

Or look at these photographs taken during the construction of the Cefn Croes Wind Farm in Wales (external link).

Do you want to risk this sort of land degredation (vandalism) on the top of the Molonglo Ridges?

Last Updated: 20 November, 2005