Borumba pumped hydro power lines may cut through farms

State government-owned Powerlink is currently looking at potential transmission line corridors to connect the proposed Borumba pumped hydro project to existing substations west at Tarong/Halys and north at Woolooga.

The northern connection includes three options - the western, central and eastern corridor options.

The pumped hydro at Borumba Dam is part of the Palaszczuk government's $62 billion energy and jobs plan that aims to use renewables to supply 80pc of Queensland's energy by 2035.

Powerlink has been consulting with the community and will publish a draft report with a recommended corridor in late March 2023.

Mr Cotter runs Cots Camp and 200 cattle on the 240ha property at Widgee, about 25km west of Gympie.

He said if the central corridor - which runs through his property - was selected, it would destroy his livelihood.

"It would just devastate us," Mr Cotter said.

"We're looking at 30 to 50 people camping there every weekend with the lines virtually running over the top of them. We would lose a lot of customers."

Mr Cotter said he couldn't understand how a project could potentially be built on his land without his family having a say.

"It's been in my family's name for generations and all of a sudden, people can just do what they want on it. It just blows me away really," he said.

"We gave up a lot of our time and there was a lot of stuff we missed out on to pay properties off, then to have somebody just virtually say that you've got no rights to it... It's something that upsets me a fair bit."

He said Powerlink should use state land to build the network and stay off private property.

"If they own the land and they want this thing to happen, they've got to do it themselves - state land, state construction."

Nearby, Shea Rule moved from the Lockyer Valley to her Widgee property in March last year.

After experiencing a marriage breakdown and suffering mental health issues, she sought a tree change to improve her wellbeing.

Then in December, she received a letter in her mailbox saying her view could be replaced by unsightly lines.

"I'm ex-army, so I've got various mental health issues. I was just looking for my slice of paradise to mentally keep my head above water," Ms Rule said.

"At the same time, I've probably done myself a disservice. It's quite stressful."

She went on to form the Say No to the Lines group, and says many members are concerned about a dramatic drop in property values.

"I certainly don't want to be looking at them and lose the equity that I have in my property that I've worked very hard for because the government decides it's easier just to run it straight through us."

Ms Rule has also taken issue with Powerlink's consultation process, pointing to a pamphlet which says "feedback from community members is that the drop-in format is preferred to allow for one on one conversations so you can share feedback and receive information specific to your property".

A Powerlink spokesperson said it held a town hall format at the Widgee session in December, which formed part of its feedback.

"We also received direct feedback from that session that personalised, property-specific conversations are the most effective way to ask queries and gain answers," they said.

"This couldn't be further from the truth," Ms Rule said, citing a poll conducted by the group on Facebook which found 132 people preferred a town hall style, with none wanting one-on-ones.

A petition, which has been sponsored by LNP Member for Gympie and Shadow Agriculture Minister Tony Perrett, had received 1633 signatures on Monday.

In a statement, Mr Perrett said the rush to deliver the proposed pumped hydro scheme had caused real concerns about the consultation process.

"I am hearing real and vocal worries from the community because the government had shown a lack of concern about the impact of this project."

A Powerlink spokesperson said it had to balance several factors in its decision making, but would consider the feedback.

"Given the significant feedback received to date on using state-owned land as much as possible, we will aim to maximise the use of such land wherever practical, and on balance with least impact, in further investigations from here," they said.

Powerlink says it seeks to reach voluntary compensation agreements with landholders directly affected by its projects.

It's holding 12 additional community information drop-in sessions during January and February.

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