Victoria Clears Huge Wheat Belt Wind Farm Project

The Victorian government has given its final sign-off to the proposed Warracknabeal Energy Park located in the state's western region. Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny approved the project this week following the green light given to its environmental impact report five months ago. WestWind Energy plans to construct 219 wind turbines across 26,000 hectares of agricultural land situated west of Warracknabeal and north of Horsham, which lies more than 300 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.

Project Details

Alongside the turbines, the development includes two 300-megawatt battery energy storage systems. The developer states that the facility will generate 1.5 gigawatts of green electricity, which is enough to supply power to 1.2 million households. This output would surpass the Golden Plains Wind Farm west of Geelong to create the biggest clean energy facility of its kind across the entire southern half of the globe. The Golden Plains project currently features 215 turbines and produces 1.33 gigawatts. The local approval arrives roughly three weeks prior to the Labor government entering caretaker mode ahead of the November state election.

Community Response

Public consultation on the project began in 2024 and drew 70 community submissions. Thirty responses welcomed the project for bringing jobs, social benefits, sustainability, and population growth. An equal number of responses raised worries regarding visual changes to the landscape, pressure on local housing and worker accommodation, and effects on regional plants and animals. The construction phase is anticipated to generate nearly 950 jobs. Local farmer Craig Henderson, who owns land designated for the turbines, described the project as a very positive development for a town that has experienced shrinking population numbers over recent decades. He noted that the project will provide a much-needed steady income source to help support local services and attract skilled workers to the region.

Next Steps

With all state-level checks now cleared, the proposal moves to the federal government for final review by the federal environment minister. Meanwhile, in a separate legal matter in the Gippsland region, the Supreme Court is hearing a dispute today over a smaller 13-turbine proposal at Gelliondale by Synergy Wind, which local groups have opposed for years.

Context

Large-scale renewable energy projects in regional agricultural zones often spark debates about balancing national clean power targets with local land use and community concerns. Developers typically negotiate land agreements with private farmers to host turbines while maintaining agricultural operations. State environmental assessments and federal reviews are standard legal steps required before major infrastructure projects can begin construction.