Maryborough mega wind farm in the works

The concept for the farm, which would be located within state forest land in between Maryborough and Gympie, has been put forward by Forest Wind Holdings, a joint venture between Queensland-based renewables firm CleanSight and Siemens Financial Services.

The company has proposed to locate up to 226 wind turbines across southern pine timber plantations, which are owned and managed by HQPlantations on land under licence from the state.

If approved, work on the Forest Wind project farm could begin in the final quarter of 2020, creating up to 440 construction jobs.

It is expected that construction would take place between 2020 and 2022, with the first stage operational by late 2023.

State development minister Cameron Dick said it would be one of the largest grid-connected wind farms in the southern hemisphere.

"The wind farm would generate approximately 1200 megawatts at capacity, which will power more than 550,000 homes," he said.

"This is enough power for all homes across the Wide Bay-Burnett, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast combined, or the entire Brisbane City Council area.

"This could increase Queensland's installed power generation capacity by approximately nine per cent.

"The project is being advanced as an exclusive transaction as part of the Queensland Government's investment facilitation services.

"It will now move into the detailed assessment stage, which will also include the assessment of its development application."

Over the coming months, Forest Wind will negotiate land use and cultural heritage with the Butchulla and Kabi Kabi First Nations people, and consult with local communities and businesses.

Forest Wind Holdings chairman James Pennay said in addition to the hundreds of construction jobs, the project could support up to 50 operational roles in the long-term.

"The project could also produce enough clean energy to supply up to one-in-four Queensland homes," Mr Pennay said.

The location has been chosen to minimise the impacts on the community, with the plantations acting as a buffer between the turbines and residents.

Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders said the project had the potential to create work for hundreds of Wide Bay families.

"We've got the workforce and skills here locally, and we're ready to build the big projects that will transform Queensland's future," he said.

"Locating the wind farm on plantation licence areas would be a first for Queensland.

"It's a great example of private enterprise thinking outside the box to help boost renewable energy generation in our state."

Natural resources and energy minister Anthony Lynham said the Palaszczuk Government was pushing ahead to transform the state's energy network and achieve 50 per cent renewables by 2030.

The project has been advanced by the Queensland Government's Investment Facilitation and Partnerships Group within the Department of State Development.

Community information sessions for the project are due to start in February 2020.