National spotlight falls on Walcha renewables project

The program was hosted by journalist Nick Carter, who is a senior fellow of the Menzies Research Centre, columnist with The Australian, and former editor of the Weekend Australian and former deputy editor of the Sunday Telegraph.

The Walcha meeting was the first community forum event featured on Reality Bites, and the program began with an onsite farm interview with Walcha cattle producer Dale Webber whose property, just outside Walcha will be "very close" to the proposed project footprint.

"When I first found out how close the turbines would be from our place and that I would be able to see so many of them from our doorstep I actually felt ill," Ms Weber said.

"We will be able to see 22 wind turbines from where we are sitting now in our back yard.

"It was heart-breaking when we found out. We don't know what's going to happen to our place, or what's going to happen to us."

Following Mr Cater's on-site farm visit, was a televised coverage of the community forum held at the Walcha Bowling club.

Walcha mayor Eric Noakes, Voice for Walcha president Cameron Grieg and University of New England Adjunct Professor Julian Prior were interviewed on stage by Mr Cater and asked their thoughts on the community effects of the proposed Winterbourne Wind Farm.

Mr Prior said there was little up-front work initially conducted by the state government in setting up the renewable energy zone (REZ).

"There wasn't any strategic land use planning, there was no solid plan going ahead as to what the community impacts might be," he said.

"The implied message from the state government to the developers was first in best dressed.

"The state government effectively incentivized developers who conducted very rapid environment impact assessments (EIS) and very superficial community consultations and we are seeing that again and again and again."

Addressing Cr Noakes, Mr Cater made mention of the importance of community and suggested he felt the designation of Walcha and it's surrounds as a REZ within the broader New England area had changed the town and not necessarily for the better.

"Walcha is a great community, we are proud of our town and we are proud of our history" Cr Noakes said.

"As things have moved on it (the development proposal) has changed the town quite considerably.

"When I first started as mayor the first project was 40 towers on a hill. I think it shocked people when they woke up one morning and realised the extent of the project as it stands now.

"It spread like Nodding thistles on your farm," he said.

Also In attendance at the forum was land owner Erica Halliday whose family has been farming in the region since 1860.

"Twenty-five years ago, developers came to us and asked us if we wanted $25,000 per wind turbine," Ms Halliday said.

"As time went on and we consulted with our neighbours and our family and our children we have since realised it is a gross misallocation of resources.

"Australian farmers feed 60 million people in the world. Less than one per cent of the Australian population are farmers and we create that produce on less than three per cent of the land. That land should be used for growing food, raising animals and protecting the environment," Ms Halliday said.

Voice for Walcha vice president Damien Timbs said representatives from Winterbourne Wind and Vestas were invited to the community event but chose not to attend.