The final 41 turbines have arrived at the Wambo wind project and developer Cubico is counting down to first power from the second stage of its 506 megawatt (MW) project.
The 252 MW stage one is already hooked into the Queensland grid after the first of those turbines were turned on in June last year.
The delivery of the last turbines for the second 254 MW stage means the tricky transportation stage – 200km as the crow flies from the Port of Brisbane – is now over.
The wind farm is currently expected to be finished by the end of 2026.
With traffic disruption one of the biggest irritations for other road users, Cubico Sustainable Investments’ David Smith thanked the local community for their patience and cooperation as the turbines were delivered.
“The completion of deliveries marks a significant reduction in oversize and over-mass vehicle movements on local roads,” he said in a statement.
“Stanwell and Cubico acknowledge the disruption this may have caused and sincerely thank our neighbours and surrounding communities for their understanding during this time.”
When finished, the full 83 turbine project will be one of the biggest in Queensland, behind the 930 MW MacIntyre wind project, which appears to be stalled at a hold point halfway through its commissioning.
Stanwell CEO Michael O’Rourke said the final turbine delivery at Wambo was no small feat that required a huge amount of preparation and careful route planning.
“With Stage 2 turbine deliveries now complete, construction of the remaining turbines will continue, followed by testing and commissioning,” he said in a statement.
“During this phase, turbines will undergo a rigorous series of performance and compliance tests to ensure they are operating safely, correctly and in line with regulatory requirements.”
The full Wambo project may also mark a last hurrah in renewables for co-developer Stanwell, the Queensland government-owned coal power station company which had become a major participant in green energy project development as well as offtaker.
Stanwell passed on an option to buy into the 437 MW Tarong West wind project in early March, leaving Res Australia scrambling to find new financing.
It moved away from ownership and development in favour of power purchase agreements (PPA).
Stanwell says it might be open to a PPA with Tarong West.
The state-owned coal company is still in a deal signed with Neoen over its Mt Hopeful wind project in 2022, and with Genex over its 775 MW Bulli Creek solar project in 2024 when it stepped in to fill a green hydrogen-shaped void created by Fortescue, when the iron ore giant dumped those plans – and the energy deals that went with it.
Wambo is Cubico’s only wind development in Queensland that is moving forward.
In June 2025, Queensland planning minister Jarrod Bleijie called in Cubico’s other two projects in the state for further ministerial scrutiny, the 700 MW Marmadua Energy Park in the Western Downs and the massive 1.32 gigawatt (GW) Middle Creek Energy Hub.
These projects are still in limbo, as are a series of other wind and now battery projects that were called in over the last 12 months to find out if they meet new rules for renewable energy projects the Crisafulli government passed last year.
A Cubico spokesperson says since the call ins, it’s been working with the state government and Western Downs Regional Council to make sure the studies and reports that were on the way or already filed meet the new planning requirements.
“As part of this process, Cubico has worked closely with Western Downs Regional Council and community representatives to conduct Social Impact Assessments for both projects to identify potential long-term impacts and opportunities for the community,” she said.
Those assessments are now informing the Community Benefit Agreements that are required under the new rules.
Once those are done, Cubico will relodge the development applications for both projects for Bleijie to consider, and spokesperson says.
*This article has been corrected to update the project completion date and turbine numbers, and to remove the claim that it Wambo wind farm will include a battery energy storage system – there is no battery attached to the project at this stage.
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