SAY GOODBYE TO TOMAHAWK?
If they get their way, the Tomahawk we love is about to be destroyed by a foreign multinational.
SAY GOODBYE TO TOMAHAWK?
If they get their way, the Tomahawk we love is about to be destroyed by a foreign multinational.
CONSULTATION? HEY, TOMAHAWK wasn'T EVEN ON THEIR MAP!
In Tasmania's North East, ACEN Australia, a "platform" that is 100% owned by the foreign company Ayala Group (See ACEN's Major Project proposal, p. 4) is proposing two massive new wind farms with up to 210 new-generation, enormous towers, producing enough electricity to power more than half a million homes.
At least 42 of these towers will surround Tomahawk. We were never consulted about the placement of these towers until November 2024, after plans had been drawn up
.
On the original website of UPC/AC Renewables (owned by ACEN) Tomahawk was left off the map. ACEN has doubled down on the omission. The two screen grabs above, both taken from maps in ACEN's 2022 Major Project proposal (the first is on page 4 and the second is a copy of UPC's original map in Appendix B) also omit Tomahawk. The arrows show where Tomahawk should appear.
This is not just about being left off the map. Incredibly, ACEN doubles down even further in their Major Project Proposal where they are required to identify stakeholders and who they will be consulting with (see the proposal p.59): the Tomahawk community gets absolutely no mention.
EASY TO MISS?
OR JUST INCONVENIENT?
For those who have never visited Tomahawk this is a satellite image. Admittedly no metropolis, but hardly inconsequential.
However, as you can see from the map below, Tomahawk will be the most severely impacted township in the entire north-east.
5 YEARS INTO THEir PLANNING THEY FINALLY show US THIS MAP:
Site selection for this project was made in 2019. However, it was not until October 2024, five years later that ACEN held their first 'community information day' in Tomahawk. A month later, at the Tomahawk recreation ground on November 17, they showed the community the map above. As you can see, it clearly shows the town surrounded by towers (the blue dots with white surrounds), with some as close as 3km.
Although the words "INDICATIVE TURBINE LAYOUT" appear across each 'envelope', when we asked ACEN staff at the November 2024 information day if any of the towers near the town could be moved, we were bluntly told "That is not going to happen". ACEN later confirmed that refusal in writing to the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner.
They have since said they will move six turbines but will not tell us where. What they have told us is that they can build up to 210 towers- an additional 77 to what this map shows.
BEFORE YOU SAY 'NIMBY'
THESE TOWERS ARE AT A SCALE PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN IN TASMANIA.
The proposed towers are 270 metres high, almost as tall as Sydney Tower, which as everyone knows, dominates the Sydney skyline. Dwarfing the towers at Mussleroe, these structures are at a colossal scale unseen in this state, and apart from any visual, noise, flickering, wildlife or environmental considerations, will dominate the landscape.
View NORTH EAST across Ringarooma Bay to Rushy Lagoon (extracted from the photomontage on ACEN's website) Physically, these towers will be twice as high as the towers that most days can be clearly seen 20km away at Musselroe. ACEN's proposed towers will be only 15km away, meaning that visually, they will be at least 2-3 times taller than the Musselroe towers.
Looking directly SOUTH 1000m out from Tomahawk beach. Nearest turbines will be 3km away from the township.
Looking EAST 1000m out from Tomahawk beach. Nearest turbines will be 3km away from the township.
On their latest map (March 2025) ACEN have drawn a new 'exclusion zone' by moving six turbines on the left of this picture. Where they would be moved to, the company will not tell us.
Looking directly WEST 1000m out from Tomahawk beach. Nearest turbines will be 3km away from the township, in the direction of the setting sun and the prevailing wind.
