The future of the southern hemisphere’s biggest wind farm, a $2 billion project on Australia’s King Island in Bass Strait, is now unclear.
It is not know if Hydro Tasmania will go ahead with the next stage of the wind project north west of Tasmania after a community survey just failed to reach the company’s support target.
About 1500 residents and land owners were asked if Hydro Tasmania should study the feasibility of a 200-turbine wind farm.
From 878 respondents, nearly 59 per cent agreed to the study.
The state-owned company has said it will not proceed with the project unless it gained 60 per cent community support.
Hydro Tasmania’s board is expected to make a decision on the results later today.
It says it wants to provide a quick response to avoid uncertainty for the community.
The King Island mayor, Greg Barratt, said he supported the feasibility study going ahead and a 59 per cent vote was still a decisive endorsement of the plan.
“We were hoping for a more decisive vote actually, but it hasn’t happened so it’s put Hydro in a fairly difficult position I’d imagine as to whether they make a decision whether to go to feasibility or not,” he said.
“I mean 154 more people want it to go to feasibility, a decisive majority.”
ABC News reports King Island residents are confused about what the result means.
One resident, Barry Barnes hopes it will not go ahead.
“All the power’s going to Victoria, and what’s in it for King Island?” he asked.
Another, Robert Hills, said the community did not need a wind farm.
“If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, the island’s not going to collapse in a big heap all of a sudden,” he said.
Either way, the community hopes for an end to the bitter divisions caused by the project.
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