Massive Queensland wind farm strikes land use deal with traditional owners

Plans to develop a 600MW wind farm in north Queensland have taken an important step forward after developer Windlab secured an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the region’s traditional owners and Native Title holders, the Gugu Badhun.

Under the agreement, confirmed by Windlab this week, the Gugu Badhun will take a lead role in delivering conservation and improvement initiatives for the Upper Burdekin wind farm, incorporating traditional land management techniques. 

Windlab said the Gugu Badhun-Windlab Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) would support the delivery of environmental protection, employment, education and enterprise outcomes for the region’s Traditional Owners. 

The agreement will also see the Gugu Badhun give the wind farm a new name in their traditional language.

Windlab CEO John Martin said the ILUA represented an important step in delivering a responsibly managed renewable energy project. 

“For us, producing renewable energy alone isn’t enough – we recognise the potential for any new development to have an impact and we are committed to being proactive and working with all our stakeholders to ensure a balanced, positive outcome,” Martin said.

“This ILUA honours the deep and enduring connection of the Gugu Badhun to their traditional lands and we are looking forward to working with the Gugu Badhun on environmental management as well as cultural, employment and enterprise outcomes that deliver sustainable benefits to Traditional Owners, building a lasting legacy in north Queensland.”

A spokesperson for the Gugu Badhun said the ILUA with Windlab would provide robust environmental provisions and sharing of information critical for Gugu Badhun People to be informed about what is happening on their country. 

“Gugu Badhun People’s cultural heritage was forefront of negotiations and early on a comprehensive Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Agreement was negotiated which provides for surveys, monitoring and mitigation measures to best protect Gugu Badhun People’s cultural heritage,” the spokesperson said. 

“The agreement also sets out a strong framework for Gugu Badhun People to be involved in the project through employment, contracting and then on an ongoing basis through cadetships so that Gugu Badhun People have opportunities into the future to shape the direction of renewable energy developments on country.” 

Windlab was originally a spin-off company from the CSIRO, seeking to commercialise innovative wind resource modelling software, but in recent years expanded into the project development and operation services market.

The company suffered a self-described “year of frustration” in 2019, beset by project delays including a protracted legal dispute with the core EPC contractor for the Kennedy Energy Park in the Flinders Shire in central north Queensland.

Then, in mid-2020, shareholders voted in support of an Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest backed takeover offer for Windlab, valued at around $68 million, led by investment fund Federation Asset Management.

Located on pastoral land near the rural locality of Mount Fox south-west of Ingham in north Queensland, the 600MW Upper Burdekin wind farm will have the capacity to power up to 300,000 Australian homes once operational.