Ecological assessment work is still underway by independent specialists and studies are providing further clarification of species’ utilisation of the project area. Work to minimise the disturbance footprint is ongoing and as the assessment work is being done the project design is being refined and modified in consultation with ecology experts and key stakeholders.

Recent improvements have reduced the disturbance footprint by 9%. The proposal has been revised from 95 to 94 wind turbines and the overall clearing reduced from 1,250 to 1,132 hectares, less than 4% of the overall land area.

Epuron estimates the development application and accompanying assessment reports will be ready to submit to the Queensland Government by the end of 2021.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) has also determined that it will assess the proposal under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) through a Public Environment Report (PER). DAWE is due to issue final guidelines for the draft PER soon. Epuron’s ecology consultants will prepare a draft PER in early 2022, after the remaining assessment work has been completed. It will include the results of onsite investigations and any proposed offset strategies. Once DAWE is satisfied with the draft PER it will be placed on public exhibition.

Epuron is planning to hold an information session in Ravenshoe in early 2022 to give interested members of the community an opportunity to learn more about the proposal and discuss it with the project team. To be notified directly when this has been scheduled please register to receive project updates, which are available by email or post. For email updates register here. To receive updates via post please email your name, postal address and a request to be added to the mailing list to info@chalumbinwindfarm.com.au.

Epuron welcomes input from members of the local community. Questions and comments can be sent to the project team via info@chalumbinwindfarm.com.au or the online feedback form.

For more information including a site map download the full project update: