Goulburn's Save Gundary Plains group joins Bush Summit protest

Jeannie and Paul Shirley from the 'Save Gundary Plains' group were among hundreds who gathered outside the Bush Summit as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived.

The summit debated a variety of subjects but protesters made their feelings known about transmission lines, solar and wind farm projects.

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They backed member for New England, Barnaby Joyce's calls for a senate inquiry into their impact on farmers and landholders.

"The government has the power to compulsorily acquire and drive their agenda through your land and change the landscape around your house. (They're) doing precisely that and then they're flipping the deal to overseas companies," the Northern Daily Leader reported Mr Joyce as saying.

Mrs Shirley said the 400 megawatt Gundary solar farm proposed by Lightsource BP off Windellama and Mountain Ash Roads would sit in front of her lifestyle block. The 450 megawatt Merino solar farm, planned across 700 hectares and two stages would be located behind her property. Both are state significant projects.

She and husband Paul, joined the Save Gundary Plains group in response.

"I'm concerned about increased insurance premiums because these things significantly increase the bushfire risk. Having solar farms in front and behind us, with 70km/h winds - there will be no way to get out," Mrs Shirley said.

She told The Post the couple was not against renewables but believed they were more appropriate on rooftops or in the Far West of NSW.

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Mrs Shirley said protesters outside the Summit were angry and upset that Mr Albanese didn't speak to them. The Northern Daily Leader reported that the PM wanted to address them but his security detail wouldn't allow it. He later spoke to three community representatives privately. They expressed concern about the impact of renewable energy projects on agriculture.

"Clearly the energy companies need to do better when it comes to that engagement and consultation," Mr Albanese said.

Mrs Shirley said the protest would help convey the message to government.

Meantime, Save Gundary Plains founding member and NSW Farmers Goulburn branch chair, Stan Moore, is lobbying for solar fam companies to lodge rehabilitation bonds with government upfront.

He described it as an "outrage" that renewable energy proponents didn't have to commit to such financial assurances.

"A bond would ensure taxpayers aren't picking up the cost of decommissioning, remediation and rehabilitation of sites," Mr Moore said.

He said it was important because there was nothing to stop solar farm owners going into liquidation, leaving no funds for this phase. One Nation MLC and Goulburn man, Rob Roberts, has also argued the case in the NSW Upper House.

Mr Moore wrote a backing submission for NSW Farmers Goulburn branch motions at the peak organisation's July conference. Four motions were carried including that land above and below the surface be returned to pre-existing conditions following decommission of large-scale wind and solar farms.

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Another motion called for a bond or cash to be paid into a trust, administered by government, to cover solar facility decommissioning, remediation and rehabilitation. Thirdly. NSW Farmers wanted the state government to call a moratorium on large-scale energy energy developments until "deficiencies" regarding decommissioning and remediation were addressed.

Finally, the farming body encouraged state and federal governments to legalise baseload nuclear power generation.

Mr Moore argued the Gundary Plains were not an appropriate location for the two solar farms due to the agricultural impact but also proximity to Goulburn, a known growth area. The Gundary Solar Farm impacted 65 residences and Merino - 173 homes, according to scoping reports.

However, both proponents say the location is ideal due to the "relatively flat land" and proximity of the 330 kilovolt transmission line and Goulburn's workforce.

"At the end of the day, what gets us is the impact on the landscape. (The two solar farms) will turn it into a 1500ha industrial area," he said.

"...Their combined area is 15 square kilometres, which is 5.6 times greater than Sydney's CBD."

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He said the projects had caused stress and mental anguish and some landowners had sold and relocated as a direct result.

The Save Gundary Plains group has been holding a stall at Goulburn Rotary's monthly markets in order to create awareness of the developments.

Both proponents are yet to lodge an EIS with state planners.

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