Wind Power Pty Ltd is proposing to develop the Stockyard Hill Wind Facility (SHWF) between the towns of Beaufort and Skipton in Western Victoria. The development will involve the installation of approximately 242 wind turbines and other associated infrastructure including 5 substations, cabling, access roads, maintenance facilities and overhead power lines. The site will comprise approximately of 250 square kilometres in the southern part of the Pyrenees Shire. There are already 3 wind developments in Pyrenees Shire in the planning and/or construction phase: Waubra, Lexton and Crowlands. If the SHWF is approved by the state government one of the smallest shires in the state will have more turbines than any other – almost 500 in total.

According to the proponent, the construction of the SHWF may begin in 2011 and last approximately 4 years. Its operational life is anticipated to be 25 years. The wind turbines could be 132 metres tall and many of them will be required to have red aviation safety lights to prevent air traffic accidents. Each tower is placed in a concrete pad of up to 1000 tonnes, and a second pad (which could also be concrete) is required for the crane to construct (and repair if needed) each wind turbine. Access roads are constructed to each wind turbine to allow for large trucks to bring in the equipment. These roads remain after construction for maintenance and repair work. A construction work area around each turbine pad is also required. Underground cables are placed between turbines, and overhead power lines will be constructed throughout the project area and from Stockyard Hill all the way to the main transmission lines located near Lismore (approximately 59 km). Five substations, maintenance facilities and a number of temporary concrete batching plants will also be required with the project area.

The large area encompassed by the proposed wind development, includes areas of ecological significance such as Lake Goldsmith Game Reserve and Blacks Creek Nature Reserve. Many rare and threatened species are located in and around the site - the most well known of these is the southern brolga, of which there are only about 650 birds left. Many people also reside within the area, with a significant number contemplating relocation if the project goes ahead without proper consideration of their rights.

This information has been gathered from Wind Power Pty Ltd's submission under the EPBC Act to the Federal Department for the Environment and is to the best of our knowledge correct. However, many of our questions about the project remain unanswered by the proponent and therefore the details can only be as correct as the information they have released to the public.