Claims that proposed 50 MW Victoria project will compromise tourism

The 50 MW Nirranda wind farm, planned for the south western coastal region of Victoria, has come under fire from local tourist organisations which claim it will be a blot on the landscape. The A$80 million project, by a consortium consisting of Queensland's Stanwell Corporation, New Zealand's Wind Farm Developments and Meridian Energy, will offset the consumption of around 107,000 tonnes of coal annually, says the consortium. But Roger Grant of Great Ocean Road Marketing argues the wind farm will destroy the scenic beauty of the Bay of Islands. "Wind farms need to be in locations where they don't compromise tourism," he says. Stanwell is undertaking an Environmental Effects Statement as part of its proposal.