Special open day for visitors

Central Midlands & Coastal Advocate
Thursday 23/11/2006, Page: 5

THE opening weekend of the Emu Downs Wind Farm on Bibby Road in Badgingarra was a huge success and a great community effort from everyone involved.

Premier Alan Carpenter officially opened Western Australia's second biggest wind farm on Friday November 10 and then the public had their opening on Sunday November 12. There were 596 people at the opening on Sunday from Perth and other areas outside the Shire. Visitors could take a bus ride up to the turbines and see them closely and learn more about how they work.

Located 30 kilometres east of Cervantes the $180 million wind farm has 48 wind turbines and will generate 80 megawatts of renewable energy. Griffin Energy and Stanwell Corporation commissioned the facility and used local labour where possible.

Dandaragan south ward councillor Michael Russell was a co-ordinator of the event. Mr Russell said Griffin Energy, Stanwell Corporation and the entire community were to be congratulated for their efforts. "Both Friday and Sunday were great and there was so much community support - it was just fantastic," he said.

At the opening on Friday the guests were treated to a lunch by chef Martin Gillespie from Waddi Bush resort. Local schools, the CWA, sporting clubs and several other community groups also joined together to work as traffic controllers and general assistors. The Badgingarra CWA provided morning and afternoon tea while the Cervantes P & C Association supplied a sausage sizzle. The Cervantes Women's Forum also offered cool drinks and an ambulance was on hand with a big tent to keep everyone cool in the shade.

"The Badgingarra women were just fantastic in their support and assistance:' Mr Russell said. "In fact all the people in Cervantes too were so helpful. It was really good to see the community getting together for the event. "There was not one glitch - everything was planned so well and everyone pitched in. It was all really well organised:' The local football club offered a marquee and were paid $700 to put it together and the traffic controllers were also paid for their efforts. Mr Russell said it was unfortunate that they couldn't pay all the volunteers but it was still good of people to help in any way they could.

The wind farm will power Perth's new $387 million seawater desalination plant in Kwinana. The desalination plant will be the largest facility of its kind in the world to be powered by renewable energy.