The zone is an area rich in marine and bird-life, and an oasis for endangered whales and seabirds, including the Southern Right Whale and the Blue Whale. Both are listed as endangered under Australian law. Threatened seabirds include several species of albatross and petrel. According to the EPBC Act, high risk threats to the whales are habitat modification, vessel disturbance /collision and noise interference. The Act regulates action on anything likely to have a significant impact on all threatened and migratory species.

The federal government is proposing installing approximately 214 wind turbines along this zone, each 300m high, each dug into the sea bed up to 30m deep, with an approx. 15m diameter concrete or steel foundation weighing approximately 1,000 tons. How much threat does it take?

Critical to the wellbeing of both the Southern Right Whale and the Blue Whale and all other marine life here is the celebrated Bonney Coast Upwelling — one of Australia's natural wonders where nutrient dense water rises from the deep ocean to the sea surface, creating a rich feeding ground and attracting an abundance of marine and birdlife every year. The proposed windfarm zone is located within the Discovery Bay Marine National Park where the Bonney upwelling system occurs.

“It is totally outrageous to place these monstrosities in our pristine ocean, endangering our whales and other marine life and ecosystems they live in. [The turbines] will never be carbon neutral and will pollute our oceans with all the coal/oil burning vessels which will be required to service them. There has been no consultation – only now we are being told they will be built.” [Concerned Portland resident]

Following an unexpectedly jam-packed meeting of concerned residents at the Portland Yacht Club on 26 July, attended by local MP the Hon Dan Tehan, a delegation representing Considered Renewables Portland travelled to Canberra at his invitation to meet with the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Hon Chris Bowen MP. The delegation explained to the Minister these and other areas under threat from the offshore windfarm proposal, namely Portland's vibrant fishing and tourism industries, the seal colony at Bridgewater Bay, the Ramsar Wetlands (22,289 ha), local business, sport and recreation, and people's mental wellbeing.

In SA, Port Macdonnell residents share Portland's concerns about the potentially detrimental impacts to the Southern Coast Ocean's ecosystem, with the region's own MP also taking a delegation to Canberra.

As the Hon Dan Tehan MP said in the House: “SW Victoria onshore does more than its fair share when it comes to windfarms … we already have more windfarms than anywhere else in Australia. The Minister has many questions to answer.”

A meeting is planned for this Thursday 17 August at 7pm at the Portland Yacht Club, with speakers including renowned local blue whale researcher Dr Peter Gill and Ben Druitt from Save the Bight group. ###

Considered Renewables Portland For media inquiries contact: ► Kim Hol bakehouse@outlook.com.au ► Rory Carter 0407 618 639 ► Ashlee Ludeman 0448 730 701 ► Peter Price pricey56@iprimus.com.au ► Louise Belfield 0412 208 890