The proposed project site is located approximately 28km south east of Bowen and 28km north west of Proserpine in the Whitsunday Regional Council Local Government Area.
We estimate the operational life of Mt Challenger Wind Farm once completed to be up 30+ years, depending on the nature of wind turbine generator technology and energy market demands.
We estimate the project will be up to 220 MW with up to 30 turbines.
As a signatory to the Clean Energy Council’s Best Practice Charter, Alinta Energy is committed to working respectfully with wind farm communities during wind farm development, construction, operation, and end of life decommissioning, and takes community concerns regarding decommissioning seriously.
Decommissioning is something that must be factored into every wind farm.
A wind farm is expected to have an operational life of at least 30 years. After this time, the site will either be restored to its previous land use, or the equipment will be upgraded and the wind farm’s operational life extended.
Each project will be different. We will work closely with landowners, technical experts, and stakeholders to determine how and when a project is decommissioned.
Alinta Energy. You can read more about Alinta Energy on our website.
To find out more about the project or provide feedback, please get in touch via powertoyou@alintaenergy.com.au or 0497 928 036.
We’ll complete a detailed Social Impact Assessment to inform a Community Benefit Agreement with Whitsunday Regional Council. We will seek community inputs into the Social Impact Assessment as part of our engagement efforts.
As the project progresses, we’ll set up communication and engagement channels including information sessions and newsletters. And you’re welcome to call or email at any time.
Under the updated Community Benefits System in Queensland, the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) process that we’ll follow includes detailed community consultation and the negotiation of a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) with Whitsunday Regional Council. An SIA evaluates five critical areas to ensure comprehensive analysis and planning. These areas include community and stakeholder engagement, workforce management, housing and accommodation, local business and industry procurement, and health and community well-being.
Together, these elements provide a holistic framework for assessing and managing social impacts. Importantly, the Community Benefit System ensures that community benefits are agreed upon between Alinta Energy and the Whitsunday Regional Council prior to lodging a development application for the Mt Challenger Wind Farm, and are informed by the SIA to ensure that benefits are targeted towards the specific needs of the communities most likely to be affected by the proposed development.
A CBA is a legally binding agreement between a proponent and the relevant Local Government, intended to ensure that development delivers tangible, place-based community benefits.
Our existing Yandin Wind Farm, a RATCH-Australia and Alinta Energy investment managed by Alinta Energy in Western Australia, has funded $319,000 locally since 2019. Projects have included:
Yes. Wind farm projects generate economic benefits in the community and wider region during construction and throughout the life of their operation. Common benefits are a demand for local goods, services and accommodation.
The project will need a variety of local contractors to support the construction and operations. If you want to express an interest for your business, please get in contact powertoyou@alintaenergy.com.au or 0497 928 036.
We’re in the process of speaking with close-by neighbours, but if you live close to the project area and would like to find out more, please contact us via powertoyou@alintaenergy.com.au or 0497 928 036.
We expect to offer a neighbour program, whereby eligible near neighbours to the proposed site will be offered the opportunity to share in the financial benefits of the project. We anticipate these benefits will be available during both the construction phase and the operational life of the wind farm, anticipated to be 30+ years. Participation is voluntary.
We will provide more details as they become available.
A development approval is required for any large-scale renewable energy development in Queensland. Wind farms are assessed by the Queensland Government through the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).
Environmental approval requirements are based on environmental constraints of the site.
The Planning (Wind Farms) Amendment Regulation 2025 (Qld) effective from 3 February 2025, raises the assessment threshold for all wind farms from code assessable to impact assessable.
Impact assessment represents the highest level of scrutiny under Queensland's planning framework. This amendment, along with other recent amendments, means that wind farm projects will:
Commonwealth approval requirements may apply to the project, for example, where there is likely to be a significant impact on Matters of National Environmental Significance.
Each project is different and will have different environmental considerations. A range of environmental studies are undertaken by independent experts to identify possible impacts. We use these studies to inform decisions about how to best design and construct the project.
Studies typically undertaken for a wind farm project include:
Acknowledgement of Country
Mt Challenger Wind Farm acknowledges the Gia people of the land on which we propose this project, and also acknowledges the Ngaro, Juru, Jangga, Birrah nations of the surrounding Country. We acknowledge their continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
