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![Local landholder, Brent Finlay, Cooinda, Stanthrope, with conference participants Wendy Agar, Engaged Outcomes, Brisbane, Sabiene Mendl, The Energy Charter, Syndey, NSW, and Lou Conway, University of New England, Armidale, NSW Picture Helen Walker. Local landholder, Brent Finlay, Cooinda, Stanthrope, with conference participants Wendy Agar, Engaged Outcomes, Brisbane, Sabiene Mendl, The Energy Charter, Syndey, NSW, and Lou Conway, University of New England, Armidale, NSW Picture Helen Walker.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/vXyWzAuHLGiLP638Y3entu/e1a62c6e-300c-4bd9-906f-8ce891e4fee9.JPG/r653_293_5440_3693_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Participants attending the National Renewables in Agriculture conference were treated to a first hand look at the final stages of the MacIntyre Wind farm south west of Warwick.
The conference, held in Toowoomba, brought together farmers, agriculture and energy consultants, peak bodies, and government representatives to share best practice of on-farm renewables to discuss the driving forces behind the transformation and potential of energy use in agriculture.
Acciona Energa, the Spanish-based developers of the wind farm, welcomed conference participants to the site and gave a tour of the facility's precinct situated on Burrabranga in the heart of the Traprock district.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm is being constructed on sheep and goat farming land and involves nine landholders and 10 properties, who will host 180 wind turbines.
The current farming practices continued during the construction and operations phases of the wind farm.
With a total investment of AU$1.96 billion, the 1026MW MacIntyre Wind Farm Precinct is Acciona's biggest renewable energy facility and one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world.
It was developed in partnership with CleanCo, the Queensland government's newest renewable energy generator, the wind farm is expected to be operational by February 2025.
A spokesperson for Acciona said the first 27 wind turbines would be turned on in August and then batches of 27 turbines would be turned on every 60 days after that until completed.
![Wind turbines on Burrabranga near Karara. Picture Helen Walker. Wind turbines on Burrabranga near Karara. Picture Helen Walker.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/vXyWzAuHLGiLP638Y3entu/153b450e-77a9-459f-8c21-8988ea2cd389.JPG/r0_316_5179_3995_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
There are 550 workers living on-site and 220 kilometres of road have been constructed.
"The last of the wind blades arrived on site last week," the spokesperson said.
She said once the turbines and the blades were unloaded from the Port of Brisbane and they travel up the Second Range Crossing to Millmerran before turning east back towards Karara to the site.
"The semi-trailers leave Brisbane at 10pm in the evening and travel through the night and are unloaded on site by 6am.
"This is done so not to impact overall traffic and the local school bus runs," she said.
Once operational it will employ 40 workers.
Local landholder and Future Drought Fund chair and former AgForce president Brent Finlay, Cooinda, Stanthorpe has between 30 to 40 wind turbines on his farm which neighbours Burrabranga.
"Our relationship with Acciona is very good and our contract is confidential," Mr Finlay said.
He said it was in 2012 that representatives from the company met with him, and after carrying out a series of wind tests and feasibility studies, the construction got underway in late 2021.
Mr Finlay said there were certainly some 'bumps' along the way, but the open lines of communication ensured these could be resolved.
"We all coexist in harmony, and if the drought of 2019 taught us anything, it was this project offered diversification away from agriculture," he said.
"The important issue landholders must remember is that being involved in the project is purely voluntary.
"It is not a compulsory acquisition like other industries, and the landholder has the power to decide whether they want to be involved or not.
"Each landholder negotiates their confidential agreement, and they have the choice to include rehabilitation of their country.
"It's an ongoing conversation regarding rehabilitation, and whether they wish to keep any substantial infrastructure or not."
Mr Finlay currently grazes 5000 Merino and Dorper wethers, 2000 goats and cattle alongside his wind turbines.
"Diversification in the face of climate is important to landholders," he said.
He said the district was very lucky that Acciona was the developer.
"They are good to deal with and very generous throughout the community in terms of building mobile Telstra towers, and local sponsorship and employment," he said.
Once fully operational the wind farm will employ 40 employees.
"We have all certainly benefited from improved roads and fences."