Australia’s oldest wind turbine faces final spin, will be dismantled after nearly 40 years or service

Australia’s oldest wind turbine is about to spin its last, as Barwon Water in Victoria decommissions its Breamlea wind generator near the Black Rock water treatment plant.

The turbine was installed in Connewarre, south of Geelong, in 1987 as a demonstration unit by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria and the Victorian Solar Energy Council. 

It was made in Western Australia by Westwind and at just 60 kilowatt (kW), it is miniature by today’s standards.

The water utility says it can no longer find parts to keep the turbine running and it has to be dismantled in the name of public safety. 

“With replacement parts no longer available, it is not technically or financially viable to maintain,” said Barwon Water’s Seamus Butcher in a statement.

“We know the wind turbine is a local landmark, and we are engaging with community groups and neighbours to understand how we can best recognise its historical and cultural significance.”

Barwon Water bought the wind turbine in 2003, after it had suffered an electrical generator burn-out, and restored it to service in early 2004. 

By 2012, it was still delivering around 80,000kWh a year to the grid, with an estimated 90-95 per cent availability, but at its peak the turbine could power up to 14 homes.

Work to dismantle the turbine will start towards the end of 2024.

Barwon Water has been contacted for comment. 

The water utility owns 25 megawatts (MW) of renewable capacity, including the 3 MW Black Rock solar farm, a 1 MW biogas generator in Colac, and shares in the 132 MW Mt Gellibrand wind farm and the 200 MW Kiamal solar farm.