The Baldon Wind Farm, featuring 175 turbines up to 300 metres tall and expected to generate 1,400 megawatts, has been approved by the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission despite 72 of 80 community submissions opposing the project.
The state-significant development, located approximately 64 kilometres south-west of Hay in the South West Renewable Energy Zone, is expected to be the second-largest wind farm in NSW after the Bullawah Wind Farm and battery energy storage system approved in October. Hay Shire Council supported the project.
The project faced extensive community opposition during consultation, with concerns including excess traffic, potential contamination, cumulative impacts and decommissioning. The three-member IPC panel imposed conditions to mitigate these, including a traffic management plan, road upgrades and a decommissioning and rehabilitation plan.
Baldon did not receive access rights to the REZ transmission lines awarded in December 2025 to four other projects: Origin Energy's Yanco Delta Wind Farm, Spark Renewables' Dinawan Energy Hub, Bay WA's Bullwah Wind Farm, and Someva/AGL Energy's Pottinger Wind Farm. It will initially connect through the separate 220kV X5 Balranald to Darlington Point transmission line, with stage one building 45 turbines. The company states on its website that it may seek access rights later.
Baldon and three of the projects with REZ access rights have secured federal funding under the Capacity Investment Scheme. The ABC has contacted Goldwind Pty Ltd for comment.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The approval signals continued expansion of large-scale wind energy in NSW despite local resistance, setting a height precedent with 300-metre turbines.
- Grid connection limits mean the full 1,400 MW output may not be realised until access rights are secured, affecting the project's contribution to renewable targets.
- Community opposition and council support highlight the tension between local impacts and state energy goals.
Background
The Baldon Wind Farm is part of the South West Renewable Energy Zone, established by the NSW government to coordinate transmission and generation. The IPC review followed mandatory referral due to the project's scale and community opposition. The developer, Goldwind, is an international wind energy company.
Key Perspectives
Community residents: Opposed to the project. 72 of 80 submissions cited concerns about traffic, contamination, cumulative impacts and decommissioning.
Hay Shire Council: Supported the project.
IPC: Approved the development with conditions to address community concerns.
What to Watch
- Whether Baldon gains access to REZ transmission lines in future rounds of allocation.
- Stage one construction timeline and progress on grid connection via the separate transmission line.
- Potential community response to the approval, including any legal challenges.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Baldon Wind Farm was approved despite community opposition, and its turbines will be up to 300 metres tall.Just In: “One of the largest wind farm projects in NSW has been approved by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) despite extensive community opposition. The Baldon Wind Farm will feature 175 turbines up to 300 metres tall”
- SupportedBaldon is expected to be the second-largest wind farm in NSW.Just In: “It is expected to generate a capacity of 1,400 megawatts, making it the second-largest in the state after the Bullawah Wind Farm and battery energy storage system was approved in October.”
- SupportedBaldon did not receive access rights to the REZ transmission lines.Just In: “Those rights were awarded to Origin Energy's Yanco Delta Wind Farm (1,460MW), Spark Renewables' Dinawan Energy Hub (1,007MW), Bay WA's Bullwah Wind Farm (262.3MW), and Someva/AGL Energy's Pottinger Wind Farm (831.2 MW). The Baldon Wind Farm did not receive access.”
- SupportedThe project will feature 175 turbines up to 300 metres tall.Just In: “The Baldon Wind Farm will feature 175 turbines up to 300 metres tall”
- SupportedThe project is expected to generate 1,400 megawatts.Just In: “It is expected to generate a capacity of 1,400 megawatts”
- SupportedSeventy-two of 80 community submissions opposed the project.Just In: “Of the 80 submissions received during the project's original community consultation period, 72 were opposed to the project”
- SupportedThe project is about 64 kilometres south-west of Hay, in the South West Renewable Energy Zone.Just In: “The state-significant development will be located in the South West Renewable Energy Zone [SW REZ] approximately 64 kilometres south-west of Hay.”
- SupportedThe second-largest ranking is after the Bullawah Wind Farm and battery energy storage system, approved in October.Just In: “making it the second-largest in the state after the Bullawah Wind Farm and battery energy storage system was approved in October.”
- SupportedHay Shire Council supported the project.Just In: “Hay Shire Council supported the project.”
- SupportedThe IPC panel imposed conditions including a traffic-management plan, road upgrades and a decommissioning and rehabilitation plan.Just In: “Baldon Wind Farm will need to provide a traffic-management plan, commit to upgrading and maintaining local roads, and make good any development-related damage. It will also have to develop and implement a decommissioning and rehabilitation plan.”
- SupportedEnergyCo awarded REZ transmission-line access rights in December 2025 to four other projects named in the story.Just In: “In December 2025, EnergyCo awarded access rights to transmission line infrastructure in the SW REZ. Those rights were awarded to Origin Energy's Yanco Delta Wind Farm (1,460MW), Spark Renewables' Dinawan Energy Hub (1,007MW), Bay WA's Bullwah Wind Farm (262.3MW), and Someva/AGL Energy's Pottinger Wind Farm (831.2 MW).”
- SupportedStage one will build 45 turbines and connect through the separate 220kV X5 Balranald to Darlington Point line.Just In: “during stage one of development, 45 turbines will be built and the site will connect to the grid through the 220kV X5 Balranald to Darlington Point transmission line, a line separate from the REZ infrastructure.”