An 18km stretch of untouched beach, towering turbines, and a buried cable up the Genoa River… is this the future of green energy
By the Coota Blog Team | April 1, 2025
In a surprise announcement that’s turning more heads than a pelican in an easterly, the Federal and Victorian Governments have revealed plans to build a gigantic coastal wind farm along Mallacoota’s pristine eastern shoreline.
That’s right — from just north of Bastion Point all the way to the NSW border, our windswept dunes are apparently the perfect place for 45 mega turbines, each soaring up to 400 metres tall (yes, taller than the Eureka Tower).
💨 Why Here?
According to Energy Minister Chris Bowen, offshore turbines are “too expensive and too unreliable,” and Mallacoota’s remote location has one major advantage:
“Not enough people live there to complain.”
Fair enough.
The new project, dubbed the Mallacoota Coastal Wind Project (MCWP), promises over 1.1 gigawatts of clean energy — enough to power over 650,000 homes — with construction set to begin in 2027.
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📡 From the Beach to the Grid — Via the Lake
In a move that sounds more sci-fi than South Coast, the power generated by the turbines will be sent via a subsea high-voltage cable:
- Buried across the main lakebed,
- Threaded through The Narrows and across Top Lake,
- Then snaking its way up the Wallagaraugh River,
- Finally plugging into the new transmission superhighway being built along the Princes Highway to the Latrobe Valley.
This route avoids the controversial inland lines, which are facing increasing pushback from landholders and environmental groups.
“The river route is elegant, efficient, and above all — out of sight,” said Transmission Victoria CEO Fiona Greaves.
🦅 What About the Eagles?
Of course, the project isn’t without critics. Locals have voiced concern about the impact on white-bellied sea eagles, wedge-tailed eagles, and other raptors that call this coast home.
But ecologists involved in the plan remain optimistic:
“The eagles will adapt. And to be honest, the turbines might help reduce flying fox numbers — which many residents see as a bonus,” said Dr Helen Kestrel of EcoPlan Australia.
💬 And What Do They Think in Illawarra?
The Illawarra offshore wind farm, originally meant to launch off the coast of Wollongong, has officially been scrapped — with Mallacoota now taking the reins.
How did the anti-wind group “No Offshore Wind Farms – Illawarra” respond?
“We fully support green energy – just not off our beach. Mallacoota’s the right spot: windy, remote, beautiful… but not here.”
— Group Admin (via Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/groups/221120457510451
We can’t make this up. Well… maybe we can.
🎥 See It While It’s Still Just Wind and Waves
Before the blades arrive, take a moment to enjoy the coast in its current, raw form. We captured it on drone just a week before this announcement — and it’s magical.
📹 Watch the video:
👉 Morning Magic: Equinox Sunrise Over Mallacoota
📝 Read the full story here:
👉 Morning Magic – The Equinox Sunrise Over Mallacoota
🧃 Final Thoughts (And a Tiny Hint)
If this all sounds just a little bit… over the top — 400m turbines, flying fox solutions, and a quote about eagles not voting — well, maybe check today’s date.
But hey, when it comes to government energy planning, would it even surprise you?
🛠️ Update: Construction Begins on Mallacoota’s Wind Farm Megaproject
Turbines en route from China, roads sealed for concrete convoys, and a tavern rising on Harrison’s Channel? Yes — and the seagulls are already circling.
Just hours after Friday’s surprise announcement, work is already underway on the Mallacoota Coastal Wind Project (MCWP) — a 60-turbine mega-development spanning 18 km of coastal dune from Bastion Point to the NSW border.
In a noon media statement delivered April 1st, Federal Minister for Climate and Energy Chris Bowen confirmed the project is moving ahead at “full tilt” — with plans to begin turbine foundation works before the May 3 election.
“We budgeted for $5 billion,” Bowen stated. “But we don’t care if it’s double that — it’s still the cheapest power we’ll ever do.”
🚢 Turbines by Sea — Floating in From China via Eden
Each turbine — a Vestas V236-15.0 MW, among the largest commercially available — will be shipped directly from China to Port of Eden, then floated into Mallacoota Inlet on high tide using custom-designed shallow barges.
With a total height of 280 metres and 115.5-metre blades, these turbines will generate 900 megawatts of renewable energy — enough to power over 1 million homes, or every house between Bairnsdale and Bondi.
“We’re not just bringing in turbines — we’re importing the future,” said logistics manager Garry Beams.
🏗️ Concrete Convoys on the Move
Each turbine base will require:
- 600 cubic metres of concrete
- 120 tonnes of steel
For 60 turbines, that adds up to:
- 36,000 m³ of concrete
- 7,200 tonnes of steel
- Over 4,500 truckloads, mostly via a newly upgraded Fairhaven Road
The road — previously a narrow lakeside track — is now being sealed and widened to accommodate 24/7 heavy vehicle access, staging yards, and laydown areas.
“We’re not just sealing the road, we’re paving the way for economic transformation,” said project spokesperson Sharna Tolley.
🍻 First Pours at the Turbine Arms Tavern – April 26
On the shores of Harrison’s Channel, what began as a construction village is now being transformed into a permanent eco-escape. At its centre: The Turbine Arms Tavern, a solar-powered pub with lake views and wind-powered pints.
📍 Future site, as seen in Friday’s flyover:
Built from recycled hardwood and steel offcuts, the tavern will open to the public on April 26 — one week before the first turbine foundation pour.
“The eagles may leave,” Tolley added, “but the seagulls will love the chips at the pub.”
🗓️ Project Timeline Snapshot
- April 7: Fairhaven Road upgrade begins
- April 26: The Turbine Arms Tavern opens its taps
- May 1: First turbine foundation poured
- June: Turbines arrive at Eden
- 2026: First full wind output online