Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie scraps $1bn Rockhampton wind farm

A $1bn wind farm project in central Queensland has officially been scrapped after Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie used ministerial powers to refuse the development application.

The Moonlight Range Wind Farm, proposed by Greenleaf Renewables, was to include 88 turbines and a large battery energy storage system spanning 24 parcels of land at Morinish, about 40km west of Rockhampton.

The project aimed to generate up to 450 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 260,000 homes annually.

Despite receiving state planning department approval in December last year, the project was called in for reassessment by Mr Bleijie in January.

More than 500 submissions were received - including 142 from local residents - during a two-month public consultation period, with 88 per cent of respondents opposing the development.

Key concerns included pressure the 300 expected construction workers would put on accommodation, inadequate community consultation, environmental risks, and potential bushfire hazards.

Mr Bleijie said the rejection reflected a new approach requiring renewable energy projects to meet the same rigorous approval standards as major developments in other industries such as mining and agriculture.

“If communities support these projects, they will go ahead,” Mr Bleijie said.

“But 88 per cent of local residents opposed the Moonlight Range Wind Farm proceeding.

“We believe renewable energy projects should have the same community buy-in as other sectors.”

The project had promised 300 jobs during construction and about 10 ongoing positions once operational, with construction slated to start in 2026. However, community opposition proved decisive.

Member for Mirani Glen Kelly, who campaigned against the project, said community concerns had been listened to and considered as part of the approval process.

“The voices of regional Queenslanders who host these projects in their backyard are an important state interest and are finally being heard,” Mr Kelly said.

“These large-scale developments impact on local infrastructure, people living and working in these communities and also the natural environment.

The wind farm would have connected to the nearby 275kV Powerlink transmission network to distribute clean energy. However, with the refusal now official, the project will not proceed.

Under the Planning Act, the minister’s call-in decision cannot be appealed.