French renewable energy developer Neoen has gifted ownership of the World’s End Gorge to create new national park that will adjoin what could be the biggest wind, solar and battery project on the country’s main grid.
Neoen is currently building its largest wind farm, the 412 MW Goyder South project, and has planning approval for up to 1,200 MW of wind, 900 MW of battery storage and 600 MW of solar.
As part of its vegetation offset strategy, it has now transferred ownership of 1,000 hectares at World Ends gorge to the South Australian government, paving the way for a new national park to be created with the adjacent Hopkins Creek conservation area.
Neoen describes the deal – struck with the government, the Ngadjuri Nation, the local council and the original host landowners as a “true first” for the renewable industry in Australia.
“Neoen is proud to be supporting the creation of the new national park on Ngadjuri country at Worlds End Gorge, with funding from our Goyder South project and in close partnership with the South Australian Government,” said Neoen Australia CEO Louis de Sambucy.
“The Gorge is a rare and beautiful place, and we are thrilled that it will be protected and enjoyed by the local community, Traditional Owners and future generations of Australians.”
The new national park will adjoin the Goyder South project, both the first and subsequent stages, and will not host any of the proposed wind turbines, solar panels or battery storage facilities.
Neoen says it purchased the land from private landholders, David and Jo Gebhardt, to meet its native vegetation offset requirements for the 412 MW Goyder South Stage 1 wind farm, which has a contract with the ACT government and a landmark “baseload” renewable supply deal with BHP’s giant Olympic Dam mine.
The deal to create the new national park followed a tender launched in 2019 for management of the land and the offsets. The state government won the tender, and the new park will help protect several threatened species of flora and fauna such as the Pygmy Blue Tongue Lizard and the Flinders Ranges Worm-lizard.
The conservation activities of the new park will be supported by Neoen for at least 30 years, which is the minimum operational lifespan of Goyder South Stage 1.
Susan Close, the state’s deputy premier and minister for climate and the environment, said the land transfer will protect an important biodiversity and cultural asset, and “create new opportunities for locals and visitors to experience a beautiful natural area.
“We will continue to work with Neoen and the local community towards creating a national park which will be a unique and valuable biodiversity asset for the Mid North.”
Pat Waria-Read, deputy chair of the Ngadjuri Nation Aboriginal Corporation said the Ngadjuri nation was taken off the land after settlement.
“When I look at this country, it makes me feel like I am home.” Waria-Read said.
“It gives me the connection – the link to my spiritual place. We, the Ngadjuri Nation, hope that we can share the responsibility of this land with the landowners, with Neoen, and with the Parks people, and that we work in partnership with each other to open up this area.”
The Goyder South stage 1 project is just the first phase of Neoen’s proposed flagship project known as Goyder Renewables Zone, which will combine massive amounts of wind, solar and storage – paving the way for increased exports to NSW and to supply the nascent green hydrogen and green ammonia industry.
A large battery, the 238MW, two hour (477MWh) Blyth battery is also being built, closer to Adelaide, to support the “baseload” renewable deal with BHP
