By Aimee Mitchell

ABC Tropical North

Topic: Renewable Energy

Friday, 24 July 2026, at 5:10 pm

Friday, 24 July 2026, at 5:11 pm

Many people signed a petition against the wind farm.

In short:

The proposed wind farm in the Whitsundays is now smaller.

Thirty turbines were first planned for the area between Proserpine and Bowen.

What's next?

Alinta Energy still wants to build a solar farm in the area.

The company had to change its plan due to lack of wind and community opposition.

Thirty turbines were to be built near farms between Proserpine and Bowen.

Alinta Energy found that the wind was not strong enough for the turbines.

A map showed where the turbines were to be built.

Part of the proposed wind farm site.

Satellite data looked good, but local checks showed otherwise.

The project still has good prospects, but the southern area has little wind.

Community concerns also played a role in the decision.

Some people were worried about the turbines' location.

The company considered the community's feedback and other factors.

The community came together to oppose the wind farm.

Alinta will keep looking into the northern part of the project.

A solar farm is still planned for the southern area.

Local opposition

A farmer signed a petition against the wind farm.

He won't celebrate until the whole project is stopped.

The project should be stopped entirely, he says.

The location was bad from the start, and others will still be affected.

The community wants bigger gaps between turbines and property boundaries.

Darren and Alysha Lee and Kelly Dalling from the Whitsunday Wind Farm Action Group.

Kelly Dalling welcomed the decision to change the plan.

She could have had turbines on both sides of her property.

She's happy for her community but feels for her northern neighbors.

She thinks the project is still wrong for the northern area.

See more ABC coverage.

Promotion

Hörübung