Set sail for power

Moorabool Leader
Tuesday 27/2/2007 Page: 3

AN $8 million two-turbine wind park has been approved for land close to the Moorabool-Hepburn shire boundaries. The Leonards Hill development will generate enough electricity to power 2000 to 2500 homes in the Korweinguboora, Daylesford and Hepburn areas.

Hepburn councillors voted three two last week to grant a planning permit for Australia's first community-owned wind park, based on a Danish idea from the 1980s. Eighteen people lodged objections to the project, fearing more turbines would be added later.

Hepburn Renewable Energy Association spokesman Per Bernard said there was no more room on the site, which is south of Leonards Hill-Bullarto Rd and within one km of the Moorabool Shire.

"It's Australia's first wind park, and this is something every little community could be looking at," Mr Bernard said. "We don't need huge wind farms with dozens of turbines. We could have communities taking care of their own energy needs with just one or two." He said the size of the wind park meant the State Government was not involved in the decision, but there was a chance objectors could still appeal Hepburn Council's vote at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

In its application to the council, the association said the two 110m turbines would not be visible from Ballan-Daylesford Rd, apart from an area around Sailors Falls, which is close to the main Ballarat- Daylesford powerline.

A co-op will own the project, set up a prospectus and sell shares to the community and tourists. The project has been promised $972,000 from the State Government, including about $800,000 towards construction. The wind park has been almost two years in the planning.

For details, go to www.hrea.org.au or 53481298.