Plans to build a wind farm near the coal town of Millmeran in Queensland’s Toowoomba region are still alive and kicking after the local council granted a lifespan extension for a meteorological mast at the proposed project site in Captains Mountain.
The up to 252 megawatt (MW) Captains Mountain wind farm is being proposed for development by Danish giant Vestas on land near the Millmerran coal fired generator – one of the youngest coal power plants in Australia’s remaining fleet.
The up to $700 million project joined the queue for federal environmental assessment in March of 2025, and proposes to install up to 35 wind turbines on land predominantly used for cattle grazing, animal husbandry and related rural activities.
This week’s approval of a change to the development application, small though it might be, is a positive sign for the proposed wind farm that it has council’s support, a factor that carries more weight than ever under Queensland’s current renewable energy planning and development rules.
In its most recent community newsletter, the Captains Mountain team said it continues to work closely with Toowoomba Regional Council to finalise the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and to make a start on a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) under the “updated requirements.”
