July 4, 2013
Australia

Rural landscape ruined by wind turbines say locals

Lucy Barbour | ABC Rural | 4 July 2013 | www.abc.net.au

Landholders whose properties look onto the Gullen Range wind farm being built at Bannister, on the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, say their rural landscape is being destroyed.

The 165MW project belongs to China-based developer Goldwind and will be made up of 73 turbines.

Retired Sydney builder John Benjamin bought his land 14 years ago specifically for the view.

He he says it’s being ruined by turbines, which have been erected within one kilometre of his front porch.

“Just to the right of that and within 900 metres, we’ve got one of these massive towers just steaming up out of the ground with huge propellers on it and it’s just so imposing,” he said.

“All these city people say, ‘Oh I love these wind turbines, they’re great’ as they drive past in their cars with a couple of kids watching TVs on the back of seats and they’ve got no real understanding of rural Australia and what it’s like being on a farm and living next to these things.”

According to the latest energy market report from the International Energy Agency, wind power is one of Australia’s fastest growing forms of renewable energy, with a predicted growth of 5GW from 2012 to 2018.

The ABC has sough comment from the Gullen Range Wind Farm and is awaiting a response.

The Gullen Range Wind Farm is expected to be completed by December this year.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/07/04/rural-landscape-ruined-by-wind-turbines-say-locals/