Article by Paige Taylor, courtesy of The Australian
07.01.2026
The WA Cook Labor government is preparing to adopt contentious rules which could prevent farmers from building a dwelling on their own land if it is deemed too close to their neighbour’s wind turbine, as the West Australian wheatbelt becomes the next frontier for renewable energy companies.
Wind, solar and biodiesel projects valued at more than $20bn are now approved or proposed on farms near the small wheatbelt towns of Narrogin and Wagin, southeast of Perth.
As community tensions ratchet up over neighbouring landholders’ rights, Narrogin shire president Leigh Ballard describes the projects as potentially beneficial for farmers “as long as they get representation and understand they cannot be pushed into anything”.
Mr Ballard is among advocates for wheatbelt towns who say the state government’s proposed community benefit fund for the renewable industry must be substantial enough to help towns after those projects are decommissioned.
Mr Ballard says the amount proponents contribute should be compulsory and local governments should be involved in deciding how the funds are spent.
The WA wheatbelt is attractive to proponents of renewable projects because it is on the state’s long-established energy transmission network leading to Collie, the coalmining town that is becoming a renewables hub with substantial support from the Albanese federal government.
Grain farmer Phil Blight worries a proliferation of renewables projects could empty wheatbelt towns such as Wagin, where he is the shire president, as happened when tree farming became popular in the region in the 1990s.
“Many people are going to exit the area – we desperately need to get more people in these communities, not lose people out of these communities,” Mr Blight said.
The Cook government’s proposed code for renewables is similar to other states. However, there is still alarm about some elements.
For example, if a farmer wants to build a new dwelling such as a bed-and-breakfast or house for a family member on their own property, but their chosen site is adjacent to a neighbour’s wind turbines, the farmer must seek a development approval.
The rule is designed to protect renewables proponents and their investors from noise complaints.
“If noise levels (at the site of a neighbour’s proposed new dwelling) exceed permissible limits … wind farm operators may be required to curtail or cease operations to remain compliant,” an information sheet for the proposed new code states.
“Industry has identified this as a major source of operational risk and investor uncertainty.”
One wheatbelt wind farm project has largely avoided controversy by careful design – neighbouring farmers rallied together and bargained collectively over the North Williams Wind Farm.
Wheatbelt grain farmer Mark Fowler and his surrounding neighbours have now signed up to host 80 to 120 wind turbines as a part of Lacour Energy’s proposed 600-800MW North Williams Wind Farm. They were advised by law firm King Wood Mallesons, while the proponent was represented by Herbert Smith Freehillls. Negotiating the land access arrangements took about two years.
Mr Fowler sees the proliferation of proposed renewables projects in the WA wheatbelt as potentially useful for farmers in the region, including as a reliable revenue stream “to build business resilience, for farm improvement and for off-farm purposes including succession arrangements”.
He said the legal terms governing land access for these projects were critical and farmers were in a strong bargaining position.
“Farming has been very good in recent years so farmers don’t need a wind farm project,” he said.
“But, if we are going to have one, it is going to be on terms that don’t compromise or risk our businesses or undermine our rights as owners of the land.
“And, unlike in other states, there is no mechanism to be compelled to provide access. We were clear with the proponents that they needed to persuade us and aggressive, one-sided banking terms would not cut it.
“If done properly, we are relatively confident it will not unduly compromise what we do and there should be a degree of synergy in there. Farmers should be prescriptive about where the turbines are going to be located. It is important that farmers get good advice.”
As Mr Fowler sees it, farmers are being approached to make clean energy work because so many of the voters who want it are also unwilling to have wind turbines in their communities or even in the places where they like to holiday.
“It is slightly annoying to me that a lot of the people who are so big on limiting climate change won’t suffer any inconvenience or have any loss of visual amenity themselves,” he said. “It’s enough for them to drive an electric car and it’s over to someone else to bear the real burden.”
WA Planning Minister John Carey said the proposed renewables code, open for public comment until April, encouraged early engagement with communities.
“Proposed mandatory noise modelling aims to ensure turbines comply with noise limits, which typically results in a minimum separation of around 1.5km between turbines and noise-sensitive land uses such as a house,” he said.
“Changes are also proposed to the Planning and Development regulations to require development approval for new houses and other noise-sensitive uses proposed near existing and approved wind farms, ensuring amenity is considered in the assessment of these proposals. Applications will also assess how modelled wind farm noise impact area interacts with adjoining rural lots.”
