Wind Farm Plan Threatens Anzac Memorial Trees

ABC Central West

Topic: Environment

Friday, 7 August 2026, at 7:04 am

A dozen trees on the O'Connell Anzac Memorial Avenue may be hit by trucks carrying turbines for the Paling Yards Wind Farm.

In short:

Trucks carrying turbines for a wind farm may hit a dozen trees that are part of a World War I memorial.

The Paling Yards Wind Farm proposal includes building 47 turbines near Oberon.

What's next?

The project is waiting for a decision from the Commonwealth before a final determination by the Independent Planning Commission.

Branches of 100-year-old trees that are part of a World War I memorial may be hit by trucks carrying turbines for a wind farm, causing concern among residents.

A study by Global Power Generation found that trucks carrying turbines will touch trees on the O'Connell Anzac Memorial Avenue.

Between 1925 and 1927, 120 desert ash trees were planted to honor 66 men and women who served in World War I.

The proposal is for 47 turbines, each 240 meters tall, which can power 100,000 homes.

The project may harm four endangered species, including the gang-gang cockatoo and koala, and has been sent to the National Environmental Protection Agency.

Historic trees are at risk

A report found that trucks carrying turbines will touch 12 trees, with contact of 50 centimeters to 1.25 meters.

The study said the contact will be limited to leaves and small branches, with no impact on tree trunks and big branches.

The O'Connell Anzac Memorial Avenue honors 66 men and women who served in World War I.

Kathy Manton said the contact will cause 'irreversible' damage to the trees.

She said, 'They're 100-year-old trees … they won't grow back from wherever they're damaged or cut.'

Chris Muldoon from the Oberon Against Wind Towers group said Global Power Generation's proposal is 'unacceptable'.

Chris Muldoon said the study's findings were 'damning'.

He said, 'This is a memorial that celebrated its centenary this year, it is a significant local memorial for people who served in the Great War.'

Global Power Generation has been asked for comment.

The O'Connell Anzac Memorial Avenue was added to the Oberon Local Heritage list in April 2026.

Measures to reduce damage

The study suggested that trucks drive slowly past the trees and be watched to ensure branches are not caught or dragged.

'Is that what we're going to rely on? That is just unacceptable,' Mr. Muldoon said.

These trees are sensitive… They were planted 100 years ago, grown as seedlings from the Middle East.

A report found that trucks carrying turbines will touch up to a meter of the trees.

The report used remote sensing analysis to see how the trucks would affect the trees.

The project poses a 'very high risk' to the endangered gang-gang cockatoo, dusky woodswallow, and wedge-tailed eagle due to habitat loss and bird strikes.

The Bird and Bat Adaptive Management Plan found that more than 164 bats and eight birds may die each year from turbine strikes.

120 desert ash trees were planted between 1925 and 1927 to create the O'Connell Anzac Memorial Avenue.

Route changes

The turbines will now take a detour to reach Oberon.

The turbines were initially going to be brought through Mudgee and Bathurst from the Port of Newcastle.

They will now go 645 kilometers through Dunedoo, Wellington, Orange, and Bathurst to avoid concerns from the Lithgow City and Mid-Western Regional councils.

The Mid-Western Regional Council objected to the development, citing unsustainable traffic and no direct benefit to ratepayers.

Global Power Generation will fund a new 510-meter road connecting Percy Street to the Mitchell Highway in Wellington.

The changes were made after talking to Transport for NSW, local councils, and the NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure.

The National Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comments on the project before making a decision.

The NSW Department of Planning got over 280 submissions against the proposal, and the Independent Planning Commission will make a final decision.

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