Turbines vs the Environment

Queensland's rejection of the Moonlight Range wind farm sets a powerful precedent, forcing renewable developers to confront environmental limits

Mounting resistance to wind energy projects is threatening to derail Chris Bowen’s green leap forward.

On Monday, the Queensland government refused approval for the Moonlight Range Wind Farm, a $1 billion development backed by Canadian asset giant Brookfield.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie used extraordinary ministerial "call-in" powers to overturn the turbine development's earlier approval, citing a range of environmental, social, and planning concerns. Objections were lodged by 88% of residents during a review period.

The Minister's decision, which cannot be appealed, is a significant setback for renewable developers. It raises the level of risk to these projects, which have been routinely approved by State and Federal governments up to now.

The Queensland Government's rejection of the Moonlight Range Wind Farm acknowledges the environmental costs associated with large-scale renewable projects.

The proposed 88-turbine development would have spanned 20,000 hectares of private land, joining the Morinish State Forest in the Brigalow Belt bioregion. The site includes mountainous terrain and ecologically significant regrowth and remnant forest.

The proposal’s environmental footprint was considerable: 1,263 hectares of vegetation would have been cleared, including 434 hectares of regulated forest. Species at risk included Powerful Owls, Greater Gliders, Koalas, Ghost Bats, and eight species of raptors—all of which are vulnerable to habitat loss and turbine collisions. Specific projected losses included:

· Powerful Owl: 1,101 ha

· Koala: 917.8 ha

· Ghost Bat: 549.1 ha

· Greater Glider: 483.7 ha

· Squatter Pigeon: 1,045.6 ha (confirmed sightings)

· Cycas megacarpa: 894.1 ha

That this project advanced so far under the Palaszczuk Labor government, with little resistance from the former federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, underscores a wider institutional bias in favour of renewables at any cost.

The promise of green jobs was illusory. Despite its vast footprint, the project would have created only ten permanent positions.

Even the Queensland Conservation Council, which is generally pro-renewables, warned of the wind farm's impact on remnant forests and habitats for threatened species.

Queensland’s newly introduced planning rules now require wind developers to mitigate local impacts. The Moonlight Range proposal failed to meet this bar.

The Minister also cited the strain on local communities as part of the reason for the refusal. The arrival of 300 construction workers would have strained housing and services in a rural area, putting pressure on local housing, roads, and infrastructure.

Under new Queensland planning rules, wind farm developers must ensure