Tablelands group and Katter's Australian Party launch new campaign against proposed Chalumbin Wind Farm south of Ravenshoe

More than 50 people gathered earlier this week at Ravenshoe's Kuradilla Park to voice their opposition against the 86-turbine Chalumbin wind farm, alongside Katter's Australian Party MPs Bob Katter and Shane Knuth.

The event also marked the unveiling of a series of new banners set to be displayed around Ravenshoe, as the group plans to continue to lobby the federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to reject the renewable energy project, on environmental grounds.

Read more: Talk of the North: Ravenshoe renewables a contentious issue

Read more: Petition launched to stop Chalumbin's 95 wind turbine farm

Mr Katter said he discussed the community's concerns with Ms Plibersek ahead of her decision, with her ultimately postponing her decision to a later date.

"The minister has told me she's aware of the threat to wildlife, the threat to the environment with erosion and irreversible damage these wingtip to wingtip blades going up would cause," Mr Katter said.

"I'm no greenie, but today I'm on their side. We're united here to protect our nature wonderland. We will not allow the destruction of our forests wildlife, for what - maybe a 15 or 20-year life in these wind turbines."

Mr Katter said his office had been advised that on October 31 last year, the AEMO updated the nearby Kaban wind farm closure date from 2048 to 2043, reducing the total operational period to 20 years.

The Chalumbin Wind Farm project area is within two cattle grazing properties, about 15 km south of Ravenshoe.

Hill MP Shane Knuth said locals had been rallying to stop a third windfarm that will consist of some of the tallest turbines in the southern hemisphere.

"Bob Katter and I attended the Keep Chalumbin Wild rally to continue the pressure on both state and federal governments to put a stop to this foreign-owned development," Mr Knuth said.

Committee member of Rainforest Reserves Australia and local conservationist, Steven Nowakowski, said his primary concern was the lack of regulation and planning required in the renewable energy industry.

"Mick de Brenni, the state Energy Minister has made it clear that there is no plan whatsoever for the rollout of renewables," Mr Nowakowski said.

"Big wind companies are simply picking where they want to set up shop and the state government is steam rolling all development applications through regardless if the wind farm is even in a high wind resource area.

"There urgently needs to be proper planning for the rollout of renewables. If this is not done then there is a high likelihood we will end up with stranded assets or renewable energy projects that are not fit for purpose and don't deliver the energy capacity that is required."

In November last year, the Chalumbin Wind Farm developer, Ark Energy, finalised significant design changes for the proposed Wind Farm, after major concerns about the development's potential environmental impacts.

The changes include, eight wind turbines removed and a sub-station relocated to reduce the internal overhead transmission line by four km.

The changes reduce impacts on wet sclerophyll forest areas adjacent to the national parks by 52.6 hectares and reduce the overall construction footprint by 61 hectares to 1071 hectares.

Ark Energy's development for Queensland general manager, Anthony Russo, said changes are the result of two years of ecological assessment work and intensive consultation between the project team, investor, engineers, ecologists, Traditional Owners, stakeholders and the local community.

"Increasing renewable energy supply is urgent to reduce carbon emissions, replace fossil fuel energy sources and meet growing electricity demand," Mr Russo said.

"Over the course of the project's planning and assessment phase a total of 114 wind turbines from an initial layout of 200 have been removed to address concerns and reduce impacts.

"The project is now less than half its original size. It completely avoids all rainforest and the nearest disturbance to the western boundary of the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area is 600 m in only one location and otherwise almost one kilometre or more."

Mr Russo said Ark Energy was committed to an "industry-first" to rehabilitate at least 70 per cent of the construction disturbance.

Mr Russo said the proposed area site for the Chalumbin Wind Farm was chosen because of it's "excellent wind resource" and "high voltage transmission lines with capacity, enabling comparatively faster connection to the grid".

"We have focused on developing a proposal that will provide a significant contribution to renewable energy capacity, as well as local social, environmental and economic benefits that outweigh the project's unavoidable impacts," he said.

"In addition to industry-leading community benefit funding, hundreds of jobs and millions in economic activity, this proposal provides conservation benefits for key species and a path to achieve a significant net gain for biodiversity in the project area over the longer term."

The Chalumbin project is currently in its final approval stage, with the Environmental Minister, Tanya Plibersek due to hand down her decision sometime before July.

Property Rights Australia is calling for a federal senate inquiry regarding the impacts on rural and regional Australia from renewable energy developments and associated transmission projects.

Interim Chair of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Jim Willmott claimed renewable energy developments were having significant impacts on rural and regional communities and environments across Australia.

"There are many concerns and issues that need scrutiny through the mechanisms provided by a Federal Senate inquiry. Ultimately, greater oversight is needed with a view to tightening the regulatory and planning approvals for renewable energy developments and associated transmission connection infrastructure," Mr Willmott said.

"Rural Australians are being asked to wear the impacts of renewable energy project developments but who is really benefiting financially because it's not a win for the environment or regional communities that have to host these projects.

"The Government's message of more jobs and community facilities is nothing more than a marketing strategy designed to convince urban populations of the benefits of renewable energy projects whilst delivering the opposite."

Mr Willmott said PRA is calling on the Senate to initiate an inquiry regarding the impacts of renewable energy development on rural and regional Australia.

"PRA also calls on our rural and regional communities and our city cousins to contact their State or Territory Senators to support our call for an inquiry," he said.