Warracknabeal Energy Park Inquiry

Overview

The Minister for Planning will appoint an Inquiry to advise on the environmental effects of the proposed Warracknabeal Energy Park Project.

Warracknabeal Energy Park Pty Ltd (the Proponent) is proposing the development of:

• a wind energy generation facility within predominately agricultural land, 40 kilometres north of Horsham and five kilometres west of Warracknabeal, Victoria; and
• new high voltage transmission lines which will connect the Northern and Southern sections of the project, as well as will connect the project into the electricity network at the existing Murra Warra Terminal Station.

The project area, which encompasses all elements of the project, covers an area of approximately 26,000 hectares. The project will have an installed capacity of approximately 1.6 gigawatts.

The key components of the project include:

• 219 wind turbines
• two collector stations with battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities
• two new overhead high voltage transmission lines
• underground and overhead 33kv electrical reticulation within the project boundary
• ancillary infrastructure including operations and maintenance facilities, permanent wind turbine generator foundations and hardstands, site access points and access tracks, transmission and grid connection infrastructure and meteorological masts
• temporary infrastructure required during construction such as concrete batching plants, site compounds, equipment laydown areas and storage yards
• signage at strategic locations, including but not limited to construction compounds, operations and maintenance facilities, collector stations and main access points; and
• road and intersection upgrade works.

If the Project gains all required approvals, construction is anticipated to begin in 2027.

The Inquiry will:

• review the Environment Effects Statement (EES) and public submissions
• hold a public Hearing to hear from the Proponent and submitters who want to speak to their written submission
• provide advice to the Minister about the environmental effects of the project.

Inquiry members

• Lisa Kendal (Chair)
• Sally Conway (Deputy Chair)
• Lachlan Wilkinson
• John Hartigan

Public hearing

The Committee will hold a public hearing commencing on Monday 24 November 2025. The Hearing will run for 5 weeks concluding on Thursday 22 January 2026. The Hearing will not be held between Thursday 18 December 2025 and Friday 16 January 2026. The public hearing will be conducted in a hybrid format and open for anyone to observe in person and online.

For further information about the public hearing please visit Engage Victoria.

Documents

You may view and download the exhibited EES and any other relevant documents at Proponent’s webpage.

Terms of reference

Submissions

The submissions received are available on the Engage Victoria page.

More information

To find out more about the Warracknabeal Energy Park Project and the EES contact:

Warracknabeal Energy Park Pty Ltd
Phone: 1300 901 816
Email: info@WarracknabealEnergyPark.com.au
Website: https://warracknabealenergypark.com.au/EES/

For more information about the Minister's Assessment and EES process contact:

Impact Assessment Unit
Department of Transport and Planning
Email: environment.assessment@transport.vic.gov.au

Accessibility and assistance

Deaf, hearing or speech impaired? Please contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or www.relayservice.gov.au

Page last updated: 03/12/25