Project Location

The proposed Baldon Wind Farm is located about 15km north of Moulamein, 55km east of Balranald, and 75km southwest of Hay.

Stage one of the project is fully located within the Murray River Council area, with Edward River Shire, adjacent to the east. 

The land is currently used for sheep grazing and there is an existing 220kV power line which runs through the centre of the site.

The proposed site lies within the South-West Renewable Energy Zone (SWREZ) and its development will contribute significantly to our nation’s net-zero emissions 2050 target, by sending clean, carbon-free renewable power into the NSW electricity grid.

Stage one of the project will consist of 45 wind turbine generators, each with a capacity of 8MW.

In this first stage, the Baldon Wind Farm aims to make a grid connection to the existing 220kV X5 Balranald-to-Darlington Point transmission line which passes through the central part of the site (POC 52km east of Balranald).

Additionally, TransGrid and ElectraNet have partnered to deliver ‘EnergyConnect’ which will result in a transmission line passing through the Baldon Wind Farm project site. Therefore, Goldwind has envisaged, as an option, that the Baldon Wind Farm project may further seek to gain access rights to the SWREZ, as a longer-term potential strategy for its optional, and larger ‘stage two’ development. For more information on the EnergyConnect project, please visit here.

The dark blue shape on the map here indicates the location of full site (stage one and stage two) – a parcel of land which is estimated as: 40km north-south and 15 km east-west.

Project Optimisation 

In recent times, the Baldon Wind Farm refined its design and development plans, after the completion of detailed environmental assessments and technical studies. The information gathered by surveys and assessments allowed us to work to preserve areas of high cultural value and minimise impacts to areas of high biodiversity value. 

Key findings include: 

• A number of threatened flora and fauna species were identified (including Chariot Wheels, Winged Peppercress, Southern Bell Frog and Plains Wanderer);
• The identification of over 200 Cultural Heritage sites while surveying the proposed infrastructure assessment corridor. The infrastructure layout has been amended to avoid the majority of the identified heritage sites; and
• The production of wire frames and photo montages, which visually depict what the wind farm would look like from different viewpoints (such as the Sturt Highway and from Moulamein).

The findings from these studies and community feedback sessions have been incorporated, and the proposed Baldon Wind Farm designs have now been updated and include the following features: 

• 45 wind turbines (Stage One)
• Associated infrastructure such as roads, drainage, cabling and substations
• Battery energy storage system (BESS)
• Associated construction facilities
• Accommodation camp for construction
• Operations and maintenance facilities

Project studies

Three meteorological masts (met masts) are installed on the proposed site. These structures are 130m tall and carry meteorological instruments, such as anemometers to measure wind speed and direction. The three meteorological masts help to monitor the wind resources available which subsequently informs the project’s appropriate turbine layout. The met masts have been complemented by other wind monitoring devices, such as trailer-mounted SODAR units located on site. 

During the past three years, extensive fieldwork has been completed across the project site, including ecological and heritage (Aboriginal and European) surveys. The results of these studies have informed the proposed project layout and have been included in the project’s Environmental Impact Statement.

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Submission update

The project submitted an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI). Subsequently, the EIS was placed on a 28-day public exhibition which closed on 10/9/24. DPHI then collated the public feedback, delivering the community and agency input back to the project team. 
In May 2025, the project delivered its ‘Response to Submissions’ report to DPHI, for consideration by the Independent Planning Commission. The project’s full ‘Response to Submissions’ report is published on the NSW Major Projects website: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/baldon-wind-farm

In Early 2025, the project has also lodged its grid connection application for Stage One. Both the Australian Energy Market Operator and Transgrid will now progress this comprehensive application.

We continue to work closely with government to address all facets of the project, including the project’s proposed transportation route, biodiversity offsets, environmental assessments, and community benefit-sharing initiatives.