Arabic version: خطة مزرعة رياح على الساحل الغربي لتسمانيا تواجه تدقيقاً

According to ABC News, Westcoast Renewable Energy wants to build a 280-turbine wind farm across public land north and west of Zeehan on Tasmania’s west coast. The Whaleback Ridge proposal has a planned capital spend of almost $3.5 billion and would cover a 40,000-hectare tract, with turbines up to 250 metres tall at blade tip.

The project area includes the Meredith Range, Parting Creek and Mount Heemskirk regional reserves. Westcoast Renewable Energy said the development could generate 2.8 gigawatts once operational, following a decade-long construction timeline. Chief executive Stephen Casey said the west coast’s wind was a “unique advantage” for Tasmania and that the company intended to privately finance the project without seeking public funding.

The proposal is being assessed under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Tasmania declared it a major project in 2024, meaning a Tasmanian Planning Commission panel will assess it at state level. Subject to state and federal approvals, the company hopes construction on an initial 70 turbines, capable of producing up to 432 megawatts, can begin in late 2028.

Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Scott Jordan criticised the plan and questioned the use of public land for a private development. He said the project could threaten species including the wedge-tailed eagle and critically endangered orange-bellied parrot. Casey said the company had surveyed the site for several years and selected turbine locations to avoid the parrot’s migration route. The company says the project could support up to 350 construction jobs based in Zeehan and 90 ongoing positions.