“Deeply disheartening:” Landowner slams cancellation of wind project as developer considers reboot

A Queensland farmer and host landholder for a major wind project retrospectively rejected by the state LNP government has described its cancellation as “deeply disheartening,” as the company behind the project considers launching a fresh development application.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Greenleaf Renewables said it is undertaking a “strategic evaluation” to determine the best way forward for the 450 megawatt Moonlight Range wind farm, after the project’s state government approval was unexpectedly overturned in May.

“This may include, resubmission of a new Development Application, following additional work to ensure compliance with the updated planning regulations in Queensland,” the statement says.

“All options under consideration will be grounded in strict regulatory compliance and underpinned by comprehensive engagement with the community and all stakeholders.”

Moonlight Range, proposed for farmland 40 km west of Rockhampton, is being developed by Greenleaf and the renewable energy arm of Canadian investment giant Brookfield Asset Management, with Brookfield agreeing to acquire the project once all approvals are secured.

The wind farm and big battery had been celebrated in December as the first major renewables project to be approved by the newly elected state government.

But around a month later, Queensland deputy premier and planning minister Jarrod Bleijie made the extraordinary move to call its approval into question, and launch a 40-day consultation period inviting fresh submissions from community members, local governments and other stakeholders.

In April, Bleijie issued a formal call-in notice for Moonlight Range, saying that its application would be “reassessed and redecided” based on the feedback from more than 550 public submissions. The decision to overturn the project’s approval followed in May.

Bleijie said at the time that the review found Moonlight Range did not meet the requirements of the government’s new planning laws, which were ushered through state parliament just last week.

The most controversial of the suite of planning rule changes is the requirement for renewables developers to have Community Benefit Agreements signed off before a project can even lodge its development application with the state government.

The design of the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (PSICBOLA Act) and the lack of consultation around them are raising concerns that Queensland is reverting back to a Campbell Newman-style ideological war on renewables.

In its statement on Thursday, Greenleaf Renewables said it had “consulted thoughtfully” with community stakeholders on the Moonlight Range project since late 2021, including more than 550 interactions recorded with local landowners, neighbours, businesses, Council, community organisations, emergency services, schools, local leaders, politicians and other stakeholders.

It says the Darumbal People Aboriginal Corporation Native Title Body – the organisation that acts on behalf of Darumbal people – is supportive of the project and has been satisfied with the level of consultation undertaken to date.

“Although we are incredibly disappointed by the outcome, we respect the Queensland government’s decision, and we will now go to work to build on the strong foundations of the Moonlight Range Wind Farm and carefully consider future pathways,” Greenleaf director Chris Righetti said.

“Working constructively with governments, communities, and all stakeholders will allow Greenleaf to identify viable future pathways that address feedback and align with Queensland’s energy needs.”

Tracey Richards, a fifth generation farmer and proposed host landholder for Moonlight Range, says her family entered into the project in good faith, believing it could deliver lasting benefits for the land, the community and the state’s renewable energy future.

“Greenleaf Renewables treated us as general partners, listening, respecting and working alongside us to shape a project that protected the land while supporting regional prosperity,” Richards said on Thursday.

“The project’s cancellation is deeply disheartening. It feels as though the voices of local landowners who approached this process with integrity and in the spirit of collaboration have been overlooked amid broader political considerations.”

What Greenleaf does next will presumably depend on the outcome of the “strategic evaluation,” but in the meantime it says Moonlight Range will remain in the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) queue, having been referred there in early 2024.

“[This] is a separate process that relates to federal matters of national and environmental significance,” the company says.

“Greenleaf will provide further information on the EPBC process prior to progression towards the next stage of assessment, which will be public exhibition of the preliminary documentation relating to the project.”

Greenleaf Renewables director, Tim Gregson, says the company remains “unwavering” in its commitment to power Queensland homes and businesses with clean energy and to deliver meaningful investment in communities.

“We approach the journey ahead and next steps for Moonlight Range Wind Farm with a focus on constructive dialogue, evidence-based decision-making, and finding a pathway that serves the best interests of communities, the environment, and the national energy market,” he said.

“The journey continues with the support of the key project stakeholders.”