boorowa, NSW – A contentious vote in the Upper Lachlan Shire Council has highlighted growing tensions between renewable energy growth and rural community concerns. Councillors recently rejected a motion seeking an exemption from future renewable energy projects by a narrow 5-4 margin.

NSW councils and farmers call for halt to renewable energy developments

The Upper Lachlan Shire and Yass Valley Council are predominantly agricultural areas. (ABC Central West: Hamish Cole)

The Upper Lachlan Shire, encompassing towns like Boorowa, Crookwell, and Gunning, is already home to the Bango Wind Farm, which features 46 turbines. The recent council decision reflects increasing anxieties among residents about the visual impact and potential cumulative effects of further large-scale renewable energy installations.

Mayor Paul Culhane,a vocal opponent of unchecked renewable energy expansion,expressed concern that the current planning framework disproportionately targets rural communities. he stated that the proliferation of wind turbines is beginning to erode public support for renewable energy within the region.

“Everywhere we drive in the shire we will be seeing turbines,”

Cr Culhane said.

“It is starting to turn public opinion against renewable energy in our area, which I think is not in the national interest.”

The debate centers on the balance between Australia’s national renewable energy targets and the preservation of rural landscapes and agricultural livelihoods. The Upper Lachlan Shire, like many regional areas, relies heavily on farming, and residents fear that large-scale developments could negatively impact property values and the character of the community.

Cr Culhane argued that the current planning processes favor locating projects in areas with ample space and fewer residents – characteristics common to rural shires. he emphasized the need for a more equitable distribution of renewable energy infrastructure across the state, preventing rural councils from becoming “a dumping ground” for such projects.

The Yass Valley Council, neighboring the Upper Lachlan Shire, shares similar concerns regarding