SAY GOODBYE TO TOMAHAWK
YES TO RENEWABLES BUT NOT LIKE THIS.
SAY GOODBYE TO TOMAHAWK
YES TO RENEWABLES BUT NOT LIKE THIS.
BEFORE YOU SAY 'NIMBY'
THESE TOWERS ARE AT A SCALE PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN IN TASMANIA.
Before you say NIMBY (not in my backyard) these proposed towers are 270 metres high, more than three times as high as Wrest Point Casino, and more than twice as high as the existing wind towers at Musselroe and Woolworth. In old school language, that is over 900 feet tall. These structures are at a gargantuan scale unseen in this state, and apart from any social or environmental considerations, will dominate the landscape wherever they are installed.
If ACEN, the 100% foreign-owned developer get their way there are going to be 43 near Tomahawk, 186 of them in total (so far), and if more developers get their way with our Government's support, there will be 100s of them across Northern Tasmania and 2000 in Bass Strait.
We agree with renewables.
But not like this.
TOMAHAWK was'NT EVEN ON THEIR MAP
'COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT'?
On their original website for the project ACEN published a map showing the region but leaving Tomahawk off the map.
Doubling down, the two screen grabs above, both taken from maps in ACEN's Major Project proposal in 2022, also omit to show Tomahawk.
In case you don't know: Tomahawk is on the coast, north-east of Waterhouse, as per the arrows.
EASY TO MISS?
OR JUST INCONVENIENT?
For those who have never visited Tomahawk this is a satellite image. No metropolis, but not inconsequential either.
Here's the simple fact of the matter: in the developer's Major Project application where they are required to identify stakeholders and who they will be consulting with, Tomahawk does not get one mention.
However, as the map above shows, with all the other towers in the development sited at Rushy Lagoon, Tomahawk will be the most impacted township in the entire north-east.
Everyone can understand why a multinational based on the other side of the world, motivated only by profit should leave the one town surrounded by its development proposal off its map. As taxpayers, it is a little harder to understand how officers of the crown, charged with balancing the interests of all Tasmanians, should simply rubber stamp this kind of omission. Even more difficult to understand, given the 'Major Project' status and the legal requirement of the developer to consult with 'interested parties' is what appears to be a complete lack of oversight by our elected Government.
WHAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN TELLING US
FIVE YEARS INTO THE PROJECT THEY SHOW US THIS MAP
We have all known about this project for some time. In their Major Project proposal to the State Government the developer say they will be using only 2-3% of the land (we assume that refers to the concrete pads and some roads they may have to build) they identified as part of the proposed wind farm. There is of course no doubt that landowners listed as participants in their proposal have had advance knowledge of the placement of those concrete pads for what the company refers to as WTGs. As far as the general public is concerned, however, where the towers would be has been a big unknown. Until now.
In October, ACEN told us at the very first Tomahawk community 'engagement' meeting that a map showing the placement of the towers will be put on their website. We are still waiting for that to happen.
Obviously responding to some of our requests, at a second 'Community Information Day', held three weeks later, at the Tomahawk recreation ground on November 17, 2024 they displayed the map shown above. They allowed us to photograph it (apologies for the poor resolution).
As you can see, it clearly shows the town surrounded by towers, with some as close as 3km. The blue dots with white surrounds are the current positions preferred by the developer. However, when we asked the ACEN employees if any towers near the town could be moved, we were bluntly told
"That is not going to happen".
According to ACEN's website they have been planning this development since 2019. We understand that wind farms are complex projects and plans take a long time to finalise.
However, an obvious question: Could they have involved us in their plans before now? We believe they could have. That would have been reasonable community consultation. Instead, what we have been presented with is a total fait accompli.
Another obvious question. Given our Government gave this project 'Major Project' status in 2022, how much communication over these last five, and especially the last two years, has our community received from the Government?
Zip. NOTHING. Not a squeak.
Clearly the State Government is completely unaware that generations of Tasmanians have spent holidays at Tomahawk, or have bought properties here because of the natural scenery, and especially the beautiful beaches with clear views of the South Mt Cameron mountain range. Maybe our State Government don't know where Tomahawk is. It is a very long way from Hobart. Or maybe they just don't care.
If you have never been to Tomahawk, think of the Hazards at Coles Bay. Same deal. Now however, a multinational developer and a compliant State Government want to turn the North East into an industrial landscape, and part of that will be 43 massive towers near Tomahawk, some as close as only 3km away. The image and map below show the line of sight from Tomahawk to the South Mt Cameron mountain range. And this is just a snapshot of 12 of the towers they have planned. As we understand it, this is in direct contravention of the best practice landscape guidelines for wind farm developments drawn up by the Clean Energy Council in 2018. (When we mentioned that there was a beach to the ACEN employees they looked surprised).
So much for our State Government's idea of 'community consultation'.
View of South Mt Cameron from Tomahawk beach (as proposed by ACEN).
We asked the developer for renders (artists impressions) we could circulate. We also asked if we could photograph the augmented reality view they showed us at the recreation ground on November 17. ACEN refused.
Here we have reproduced essentially what they showed us at the recreation ground, the difference being we have created the view from the beach. The image has been created with estimated heights of 270m towers in the approximate positions on ACEN's map (you can see them in the map above and highlighted in our map below).
If you know Tomahawk at all you would know this picture. The boat ramp is on the point, the shop and camp ground are behind the trees in the foreground, and the main township of about 100 residences is within walking distance about 2-300 m to the right. South Mt Cameron, in the distance and approximately 20km from Tomahawk is 550 metres high. When the towers are installed at the positions shown on the map above, they will appear approximately twice as high as the South Mt Cameron Range.
Apart from the serious noise and flickering effects, (and the unknown impact on endangered bird species) there is also the question of amenity. Placing towers so close to Tomahawk in the developer's preferred locations will obviously destroy the visual aspect of the main asset of the town and the town's character.
If ACEN get their way, you can say goodbye to Tomahawk.
In a word, this is corporate greed.
A 500 METRE WHARF WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN RINGAROOMA BAY
BUT THERE IS MORE. To deliver these massive towers into the site, ACEN will need to build an industrial sized wharf in Ringarooma Bay opposite Tomahawk. Aside from the question of amenity and some significant environmental questions yet unanswered- who will dismantle the wharf once construction is over?
Imagine something in the order of 10 times the abandoned jetty piles at Bridport.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO
SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED - AND ANSWERED
According to the Government and the developer:
"The project will make a significant contribution to the region’s economy, environment or social fabric" (1)
They say there will be 400 jobs during construction and 65 long term.
From the available Government documentation online, beyond the temporary economic benefit during construction, it is difficult to see any ongoing 'significant contribution' to the region's economy. Perhaps they are referring to the limited number of landholders who will receive generous, ongoing payments for allowing infrastructure to be built on their land. Far from any significant contribution, it appears that an unfair burden by way of falling land and property values is going to fall on others living within what the Government is intent on declaring a Renewable Energy Zone.
There are also some serious unanswered questions to be asked about what the government has in mind when it is thinking about the 'significant contributions' it imagines the project will make to the 'environment and social fabric'. Over the next few months we will be directing these questions to our elected officials, and posting their responses here and on social media.
ACEN have asked for, and have been given an extension by the Government until August 2025 to lodge their proposal before the Planning Commission.
We are currently in the process of forming an association, 'Not Like This' that will be lodging an objection to the Planning Commission. Becoming an association rather than a group of individuals will amplify our voice, and will give us access to valuable planning advice in shaping our objections.
If you would like to support us, join us and receive regular updates and information on what we are doing, please fill out the form below.