LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

St Patrick’s Day fires highlight importance of Cobden airport amid wind farm fears 

Credit:  Kate Zwagerman | The Standard | March 28 2018 | www.standard.net.au ~~

Cobden’s airport is playing a vital role in firefighting efforts, proof that it needs to be protected from a potential wind farm development, its supporters say.

The airport became a base for firefighting aircraft as the St Patrick’s Day fires raged and crews continue to battle peat fires.

Speaking at the Corangamite Shire meeting on Tuesday, councillor Neil Trotter said he counted four helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft at the airport on Tuesday morning, while the aero club’s clubrooms were also being used as a base for emergency services.

“This tragedy for our community has highlighted the value of our airstrip,” he said.

“Blind Freddy can see what this facility means to this district. The Minister should… give this community the reassurance that this vital asset is not under threat.”

The Planning Minister has yet to rule on plans for a 12-turbine wind farm at Naroghid. The $100 million project would place 180-metre-high turbines within about 2.5 kilometres of the air strip.

Cobden Aero Club’s Duncan Morris said the current situation highlighted the need to keep up the fight to save the strip.

“I’ve absolutely no doubt that if the wind farm was already there… this (use of the strip) would have been severely limited, if not impossible,” he said.

“If the wind farm proposal goes ahead the airport would most certainly close… and the facility would not be available in the event of any similar fires in the future.”

Mayor Jo Beard said emergency services using the airport were full of praise for the facility.

“We’re seeing what a difference it can make to not only this community but across the region. You never know when it’s going to be needed,” she said.

In praising the community’s response to the St Patrick’s Day fires, Cr Ruth Gstrein said the disaster demonstrated the importance of retaining the air strip.

“What this has highlighted is the need to preserve the Cobden air strip as it is right now,” she said.

“If we ever needed a clear demonstration on why Cobden needs an airstrip we have it and we continue to see it today.”

Source:  Kate Zwagerman | The Standard | March 28 2018 | www.standard.net.au

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon