Waroona council make their stance on wind farms in the region known, setting a line around unique ecosystems

Councillors from the Shire of Waroona have made their stance on future wind farms in the region known. During December’s council meeting, councillors voted unanimously to declare the shire’s position on renewable energy facilities within the region — primarily focusing on wind farms. The shire declared it supported proper and orderly development of appropriate renewable energy facilities in the region but emphasised a need to protect the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar Site Wetlands and northern jarrah forests. The shire’s official declaration stated wind farms on the Swan Coastal Plain within 25km of the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar Site Wetlands would not be supported unless there was comprehensive scientific evidence safe-guarding the ecosystem. In their statement the shire said the move to protect forests comes in light of the importance of the natural resource and the already prevalent cumulative impacts it is facing, such as mining. At the meeting shire chief executive officer Mark Goodlet said the move aligned with the State Government’s draft Renewable Energy Planning Code, but the shire was a few months ahead in making their statement. He said the draft policy emphasised the importance of significant wetlands — which the Peel-Yalgorup system is — as well as focusing on the overall environmental impact of sensitive areas. Mr Goodlet said the draft policy will likely be viewed by council during the next meeting in February, but it was still important for the shire to make their stance known calling the declaration a “political statement”. “This will be you (councillors) making a statement on behalf of your community outside of the planning regulations,” he said. “But it does seem to align in the direction it (the draft policy) is going, and it sends a direction that this is your intention.” Following the meeting the shire issued a statement stating they are “ensuring” wind farm proponents understand the strongly held sentiment of the Waroona community towards protecting the environment. “The Shire of Waroona has approved and supported solar farms and battery storage facilities within its district, acknowledging the role Waroona will play, firstly as a location where energy demand is among the highest in the State, and in its connectivity role due to its proximity to Perth and Bunbury,” the statement read. With the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar Site a haven for many bird species, including some which migrate from Siberia, the shire’s statement said it welcomes the draft Code’s stated objective of locating wind farms outside and sufficiently setback from conservation areas. The statement also expressed the concern around development in northern jarrah forests with the shire calming the cumulative impacts on these forests are of deep concern to the Waroona community. “Wind farms will lead to permanent removal of forest at the individual turbines as well as through a series of access roads connecting these turbines,” the statement read. The move authorised shire president Mike Walmsley to make a similar statement at the Peel Regional Leaders Forum, on behalf of the Shire of Waroona.