The Australian, October 17, 2025
Windfarms guaranteed by taxpayers before environmental assessment
by Matthew Denholm
The Australian, Editorial - October 9, 2025
'Bowen keeps public in the dark on renewables rollout'
The Australian - October 9, 2025
There’s Misinformation. Disinformation. And then there is Chrisinformation.
by Matthew Denholm, rural and regional correspondent
‘Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen is accused of misrepresenting a group that has mapped Australia’s accelerating renewables rollout and of misleading the public about its landmark data.’
Sunshine Coast Daily - October 8, 2025
'Cancelled photographer unveils renewables 'Truth Map'
The Australian - October 4, 2025 Of more than 1,000 renewable energy projects proposed or underway in Australia, the Western Green Energy Hub is one of the top 5 most contentious
‘Greens leader Larissa Waters ignores pleas to stop ‘destructive’ renewables projects, despite some of her senators backing opponents'
by Matthew Denholm, rural and regional correspondent
Of more than 1,000 renewable energy projects proposed or underway in Australia, the top 5 most contentious are:
Western Green Energy Hub (WA Nullarbor) - 3000 turbines, 60 million solar panels Robbins Island (TAS) - 100 turbines Upper Burdekin / Gawara Baya (QLD) - 69 turbines Kentbruck (VIC) - 105 turbines Winterburne (NSW) - 126 turbines
Correction note: the print and online version contains a typo error / omission - the relevant sentence is meant to refer to Senator Nick McKim's tabling in parliament of our petition with > 17,000 signatures in Feb 2025. Our non-conforming petition is still running and currently exceeds 22,000 signatories who oppose the Nullarbor hydrogen hub.
Western Green Energy Hub (WA Nullarbor) - 3000 turbines, 60 million solar panels Robbins Island (TAS) - 100 turbines Upper Burdekin / Gawara Baya (QLD) - 69 turbines Kentbruck (VIC) - 105 turbines Winterburne (NSW) - 126 turbines
Correction note: the print and online version contains a typo error / omission - the relevant sentence is meant to refer to Senator Nick McKim's tabling in parliament of our petition with > 17,000 signatures in Feb 2025. Our non-conforming petition is still running and currently exceeds 22,000 signatories who oppose the Nullarbor hydrogen hub.
The Australian - October 1, 2025
‘More rooftop solar, fewer big new renewable projects, says Christine Milne, amid legal threat to Robbins Island wind farm.
Matthew Denholm, rural and regional correspondent
'The former Greens leader, who has urged environmental groups to fight renewables projects that damage biodiversity, hailed landmark mapping of the renewables rollout revealed in The Australian.' 'Ms Milne, a pioneering environmentalist and climate campaigner, told The Australian the mapping was “amazing work” of the kind governments should have been doing – and that it should force a rethink.' 'Ms Milne called for communities, not energy developers, to decide where renewable projects were located. “We’ve gone completely the other way: what we have now is a developer-led mess,” she said.’
The Australian - September 13-14, 2025
Matthew Denholm, rural and regional correspondent
‘The massive rollout of renewables – to meet renewable-energy and emissions-reduction targets-is creating tensions across regional and rural Australia, with landowners facing massive fines in Victoria for locking out developers, as communities seek to defend landscapes and treasured bird and other species.’
‘Veteran conservationist and former Greens leader Christine Milne told The Australian peak environmental non-government organisations were too “frightened” to oppose renewables projects.’
“I find it incomprehensible that you get this line back (from peak national environment groups) that you can’t oppose renewable energy, when of course you can oppose renwable energy if it is destroying biodiversity.”
Resistance Radio - 23 August 2025
with Derrick Jensen
Derrick Jensen interviews a broad spectrum of activists building a culture of resistance and defending the wild.
Derrick Jensen’s 2nd interview of Stefan and Bronwen Eberhard talking about the Nullarbor aired Sunday 23rd August at 6 pm eastern (US) on the progressive radio network, and online at prn.live
Available as a podcast and download link under.
Derrick Jensen’s 2nd interview of Stefan and Bronwen Eberhard talking about the Nullarbor aired Sunday 23rd August at 6 pm eastern (US) on the progressive radio network, and online at prn.live
Available as a podcast and download link under.
Renew Economy - 21 August 2025
by Sophie Vorrath
None of the details in this article are new, as published 21 August in Renew Economy, article by Sophie Vorrath. Still it is encouraging to see the reporting cover the highly controversial (environmental) aspects of the proposal. Selected extracts quoted under:
‘The sheer scale of the project, coupled with environmental concerns about its potential impact on subterranean land forms and underwater caves across the Nullarbor Plains, means it will likely be among the most scrutinised projects put before the EPBC.’
‘’As Renew Economy has reported, the proposal is likely to take many years to work through environmental approval processes, alone – both state and federal – and already faces opposition from some quarters, including from the Bob Brown Foundation.’
‘The Western Australia Environmental Protection Authority, which is carrying out the state-level assessment of WGEH, said in November that 259 of 282 submissions received called for the project to have a public environmental review, which the consortium will now be required to do.’
‘The EPA also said the project presented a complex case: “Detailed assessment is required to determine the extent of the proposal’s direct and indirect impacts, and whether the EPA environmental factor objectives can be met.”
‘It cites the potential significant effects from the clearing of 27,188 hectares, the impacts on benthic (water based) communities and habitat, dredging and ship movements; the potential collision with wind turbines and vehicles, and on inland waters and subterranean land forms in the Nullarbor Plains limestone karst system.’
‘’As Renew Economy has reported, the proposal is likely to take many years to work through environmental approval processes, alone – both state and federal – and already faces opposition from some quarters, including from the Bob Brown Foundation.’
‘The Western Australia Environmental Protection Authority, which is carrying out the state-level assessment of WGEH, said in November that 259 of 282 submissions received called for the project to have a public environmental review, which the consortium will now be required to do.’
‘The EPA also said the project presented a complex case: “Detailed assessment is required to determine the extent of the proposal’s direct and indirect impacts, and whether the EPA environmental factor objectives can be met.”
‘It cites the potential significant effects from the clearing of 27,188 hectares, the impacts on benthic (water based) communities and habitat, dredging and ship movements; the potential collision with wind turbines and vehicles, and on inland waters and subterranean land forms in the Nullarbor Plains limestone karst system.’
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The Australian - 16-17 August 2025
A vast green energy project has angered locals and scientists
by Christine Middap, Chief Writer
Aside from the practicalities of building an "attractive and sustainable" town for 8000 workers and their families in a fragile and remote desert area, Peter Fitchat, the chief executive of the Dundas Shire, has another question: "What are people going to do in this new town? There's nothing to do out there."
Shire president Laurene Bonza, whose region has about 677 residents across 93,000 sq km, puts it another way: "To my mind it's utterly and completely absurd. Putting 8000 people on that pristine environment..."
"It just doesn't make sense to me, to have someone march into another country and risk their very special environment and take money from the government for the privelege of doing that, and then ship most or all of their product overseas, " she says.
"I sat with the developers for three hours one afternoon and I said to them, the only green thing about this project is the amount of money you're going to make out of it."
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‘Death by 1000 cuts’ : Massive Goldfields green energy hub to damage intricate Nullarbor caves - Kalgoorlie Miner - 12 December 2024
“Shire of Dundas president Laurene Bonza said the project would be an “absolute headache” from a town planning perspective, given the shire’s current population is about 720.
“The logistics of putting 8,000 people out there, it’s bigger than my head can get around”, she said.
“There are certainly some concerns as far as town planning, and there are environmental concerns.”
“I think the people out here are quite anxious about it…those people that live out at Eucla, there’s about 50 of them, that’s a significant impact on their life.”
‘Dr Eberhard said that number of people moving to the region meant damage to fragile cave systems would be “absolutely inevitable” as more visitors flooded caves in South Australia’s Nullarbor National Park.’
“If this project is allowed to go ahead it will cause unavoidable and irreparable harm to an iconic Australian region with outstanding natural and cultural values of recognised world heritage signficance, “ he said.
‘Scientists warn of Nullarbor Nightmare' - Eyre Peninsula Advocate - 5 December 2024 - by James Jacobi
In the Eyre Peninsula region of South Australia there is growing awareness and concern about the colossal wind & solar energy venture proposed across the border in Western Australia.
'In documents submitted to the WA EPA the proponents said they did not forsee the project having significant impacts on landforms or fauna of the Nullarbor.'
But Dr Eberhard strongly disagreed, highlighting that, given the inter-connected nature of the immense cave and karst system, it was impossible to avoid harming the subterranean network.
"Irrespective of even the most strident commitments to impact avoidance…and even if such measures are made legally enforceable under EPA Conditions of Approval, this colossal industrial venture would wreak unavoidable harm - environmentally, culturally and socially, he said.
“Not only within the proposed development footprint, but very importantly, across the entire Nullarbor region and Great Australian Bight. It should not be constructed on any part of the Nullarbor limestone karst region or incised into the middle of the Great Australian Bight marine national parks.”
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'Wind, solar project a major concern' - Farm Weekly, 26 Nov 2024 online, 29 Nov 2024 print - by Brooke Littlewood
The 3-page article by Brooke Littlewood gives extensive coverage of the proposed project including aspects of the unavoidable harm – environmental, cultural and social - that will be propagated far beyond the proposed development envelope, if this inappropriate development is allowed to proceed. The insidious, indirect impacts of 8,000 additional people living permanently on the Nullarbor is likely to be of enormous consequence and concern to cavers and scientists, pastoral leaseholders, Traditional Owners / Custodians, and land managers of adjoining national parks and conservation reserves.
‘In documents posted on the WA EPA’s website, the proponent said it was committed to mitigating direct environmental impacts by avoidance through development of the proposal’s conceptual design.
‘Dr Eberhard and the group of scientists said failure to adequately recognise karst and karst landforms, particularly caves and rock holes, as a key environmental factor was a serious deficiency in the proposed development.’ “Irrespective of even the most student commitments to impact avoidance, mitigation and rehabilitation,” he said. “Even if such measures are made legally enforceable under EPA conditions of approval, the proposed development would wreak unavoidable harm. “This harm would be environmental, cultural and social, not only within the proposed development footprint, but very importantly across the entire Nullarbor region and Great Australian Bight.” “Besides the caves and rock holes, the overall integrity and natural intactness of the landscape across this distinctive biogeographic region, is one of its redeeming qualities, which would be damaged if this goes ahead.” “We believe the sustainable future for the Nullarbor limestone region depends on fostering environmental, social and economic opportunities and outcomes, which benefit the environment and people,” Dr Eberhard said. “This includes the continuation of good farming practices and small-scale low-impact ecotourism and Indigenous tourism enterprises.”
‘Dr Eberhard and the group of scientists said failure to adequately recognise karst and karst landforms, particularly caves and rock holes, as a key environmental factor was a serious deficiency in the proposed development.’ “Irrespective of even the most student commitments to impact avoidance, mitigation and rehabilitation,” he said. “Even if such measures are made legally enforceable under EPA conditions of approval, the proposed development would wreak unavoidable harm. “This harm would be environmental, cultural and social, not only within the proposed development footprint, but very importantly across the entire Nullarbor region and Great Australian Bight.” “Besides the caves and rock holes, the overall integrity and natural intactness of the landscape across this distinctive biogeographic region, is one of its redeeming qualities, which would be damaged if this goes ahead.” “We believe the sustainable future for the Nullarbor limestone region depends on fostering environmental, social and economic opportunities and outcomes, which benefit the environment and people,” Dr Eberhard said. “This includes the continuation of good farming practices and small-scale low-impact ecotourism and Indigenous tourism enterprises.”
ABC Radio Perth, Mornings WA, 27 Nov 24 with Nadia Mitsopoulos
Available on ABC listen, interviews with Dr Stefan Eberhard and WGEH CEO Ray McDonald start at 1 hour 35 minutes, ends at 1:53 (including audience comments)
ABC Radio, Regional WA Drive Program, 26 Nov 2024, with Andrew Collins
Available on ABC listen, interviews with Dr Stefan Eberhard and WGEH CEO Ray McDonald start at 40 minutes.
ABC Radio, Australia wide, 26 Nov 2024, 6.30pm with Alex Hyman
Interviews with Curtin University sustainability professor Peter Newman, University of Western Australia adjunct professor Bill Grace, Brad Pettitt WA Greens MLC, Dundas Shire President Laurene Bonza. Available on ABC listen.
"We are hugely supportive of renewable as the Greens," WA Greens MLC Brad Pettitt says.
"But what we don't want to see is that come at the cost of pretty unique natural places because it doesn't need to."
“This is not really about decarbonising the West Australian economy or stopping fossil fuels.”
“It’s a huge play on a speculative future around whether green hydrogen can be made to work or not.”
“Let’s get on and do renewable energy where it matters right now, connected to the West Australian grid, decarbonising the State rather than kind of pretending that green hydrogen is going to solve all our problems.”
ABC news online, 26 Nov 2024
'Western Green Energy Hub proposal would transform the Nullarbor. What are the odds of it going ahead? - by Emily Smith, Esperance
‘Dundas Shire President Laurene Bonza, whose enormous local government region will encapsulate much of the project, finds the idea mind-boggling.
"The size and scale of it is a bit alarming," she says.
"People think there's nothing out there but it's really quite a fragile environment."
"On one hand they're saying green energy, on the other hand, how much of our green space are we destroying to get that aim?" Asked whether the local community is on board, she says many moved to the Nullarbor seeking isolation.
Ms Bonza is not sure how they will react to the influx of 8,000 workers, or even the 100–300 people required for the project's first stage.
She also has countless questions about logistics — how enough builders will be sourced, how workers will be fed and what impact construction will have on the region's single highway.’
"People think there's nothing out there but it's really quite a fragile environment."
"On one hand they're saying green energy, on the other hand, how much of our green space are we destroying to get that aim?" Asked whether the local community is on board, she says many moved to the Nullarbor seeking isolation.
Ms Bonza is not sure how they will react to the influx of 8,000 workers, or even the 100–300 people required for the project's first stage.
She also has countless questions about logistics — how enough builders will be sourced, how workers will be fed and what impact construction will have on the region's single highway.’
The West Australian, 26 Nov 24, print, p.55
'Battle of the Nullarbor: Watchdog in full review of green energy project amid cave network fears' - by Matt Mckenzie
The West Australian, 25 Nov 24, online
'Western Green Energy Hub: Ambitious hydrogen plan to get full EPA reveiw" - by Matt Mckenzie
The Australian, Editorial, 18 November 2024
'Preserve underground wonderland'
'It is too rich a heritage sacrifice for energy technology that may not stand the test of time. If destroyed, the caves beneath the Nullarbor would be irreplaceable.'
The Weekend Australian 16/17 November 2024
‘Like dropping a brick on a meringue’ : scientists step up to save the Nullarbor
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Sydney Morning Herald 15 November
WA's $100 billion 'green' project will destroy 'spectacular hidden world': scientists
ABC News 15 November 2024
Should the Nullarbor have World Heritage status?
WA Regional Mornings with Peter Barr - 14 November 2024
Temporarily available on the ABC listen app via link below. Note the Nullarbor interview starts at ~ 45min:40sec
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ABC News 14 November 2024
In short:
A scientific report compiled in 1992 found the Nullarbor, across WA and SA, was an excellent candidate for a World Heritage List nomination.
The West Australian side of the plain remains largely unprotected.
What's next?
Some scientists believe the area should be protected from a massive wind and solar infrastructure proposal.
ABC TV News 7.30 Report
Beneath the plains of the Nullarbor lies an underground world formed over millions of years.
7.30 By Will Murray 23 April 2024
