TAKE ACTION
The proposed Kentbruck Green Energy Hub (KGPH) near Portland is smack bang in the middle of Cobboboonee and Lower Glenelg national parks and Discovery Bay Coastal Park.
These stunning areas are home to a raft of endangered critters, including Australasian Bitterns, Brolgas and Southern Bent-wing Bats.
We need clean energy to protect nature and communities from fossil fuelled-climate disruption. We don’t need developments in places that harm endangered wildlife and habitats.
Right now the public can raise any issues with the proposal’s Environment Effects Statement (EES). You can have your say until Monday 31 March 2025.
Key issues with the current proposal:
• Inadequate concern for the impact on threatened native animals
The proponent’s efforts to reduce the impact on threatened wildlife are inadequate, with significant knowledge gaps.
A range of iconic and endangered wildlife depend on the parks and surrounding natural areas. Animals like Brolgas (Endangered), Southern Bent-wing Bats (Critically Endangered), Australasian Bitterns (Endangered) and Orange-bellied Parrots (Critically Endangered).
The proposed placement of KGPH is a serious concern for the habitat and movement of Southern Bent-wing Bats, particularly the Portland sub-population. Already in severe decline due to destruction of their habitat, Southern Bent-Wing Bats are especially vulnerable to further mortality. Even minimal wind farm-related fatalities – as few as 10 deaths per year – can significantly accelerate the risk of extinction.
• Underestimated impact on migratory birds
The Glenelg Estuary and Discovery Bay Ramsar Site to the south of the proposed KGPH is of international significance for migratory birds. The site supports over thirty kinds of migratory birds flying in from as far away as Japan, Korea and Russia!
Studies have shown that wind energy projects can disrupt migration patterns and lead to measurable population decline. This is especially true for birds with long migration routes, or those that rely on specific stopover sites.
The proponent’s EES underestimates the risks of collision, displacement, and cumulative mortality on migratory birds. If it goes ahead, KGPH turbines must be turned off during migration periods to reduce bird mortalities.
• Inappropriate powerline route through Vulnerable trees
A proposed powerline route through Cobboboonee National Park threatens to destroy critical habitat and push vulnerable plants closer to extinction. If it proceeds, it could devastate at least 83 Western Peppermint trees (Eucalyptus falciformis), already listed as Vulnerable, and populations of Critically Endangered Apple Jacks (Eucalyptus splendens).
A straightforward alternative exists: construct the KGPH powerline underground through already cleared private land. This would minimise disruption and protect these irreplaceable native trees.
• No reference or integration of Marine and Coastal Act, policy or strategy
KGPH’s proposed location is only 2-3 kilometres from the coastline. Despite this, the developer has conspicuously omitted any reference to the jurisdictional scope of the Marine and Coastal Act 2018. The Act’s clear objectives for sustainable marine development include:
- Equitable use of marine resources
- Ecological sustainability of marine industries
- Comprehensive risk management
- Integrated approaches to environmental change
The developer must transparently demonstrate how they intend to meet these legislative requirements. They must submit a comprehensive plan to addresses the Act’s core principles of environmental stewardship and sustainable coastal management.
• Need to assess industrial developments on a landscape scale
Victoria’s southwest region faces increasing wind farm development. Rather than evaluating each project in isolation, a holistic approach is crucial to understand the cumulative impact of industrial expansion on the region’s wildlife and natural landscapes.
Resources
- VNPA’s submission to the inquiry. Given the high conservation value area, VNPA urges the relocation of the project to a less ecologically sensitive site.
- Marine and Coastal Act (2018)
Victoria is the most cleared state in Australia. We have the highest number of threatened plants and animals by sub-region in the country.
