The Queensland Government is set to repeal the Forest Wind Farm Development Act 2020 (the Act) after it says wide-spread concerns were raised by the local community, and with years old approvals not acted on.
The proposal sought to embed up to 226 wind turbines with heights of around 160 meters in Queensland State forests between Gympie, Maryborough and the Fraser Coast.
The project was originally proposed in 2016 under the former Labor Government’s failed market-led proposal program and renewables planning framework, with no requirements for mandatory community consultation or third party appeal rights.
Following the project’s loss of landholder support and the project’s venture partner withdrawal in August 2024, the Forest Wind Farm project has failed to meet the minimum project requirements agreed to by the former Government to allow it to go ahead, said Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, Jarrod Bleijie.
Mr Bleijie said repealing the Act would remove ongoing uncertainty for local communities over the proposed large-scale renewable energy development.
“A new planning pathway for regulating wind farms which commenced in February 2025 was the first step to requiring all wind farm proposals be impact assessable and subject to the same rigorous approval process as other major development projects,” he said.
“Our further social impact and community benefit reforms, which commenced last month, ensure that local communities are never shut out from approval processes again.”
He said the Government was “re-setting the planning partnership” with Councils and communities through an improved transparency, accountability and community-focussed development assessment processes.
“The former Labor Government had this project in the works for years before the community got wind of it,” Minister for Primary Industries and Member for Gympie, Tony Perrett.
“Repealing this Act is further evidence this Government is serious about genuine consultation when it comes to renewable projects.
“These forests are important for the Gympie region both for the economic and employment benefits but also for the character of the Gympie electorate,” he said.
