Turbine neighbours talk about life with wind energy

                    

Waubra - The Way the Wind Blows

Waubra’s residents tell their stories

Condensed version – 12 mins

Since the Waubra wind farm started generating power in 2009, the town has acquired a dubious reputation: the so-called `Waubra Disease’ is now known internationally. But how much sense does it make?  Whilst there’s a small number of complainants among the population of 500, there are also 30 families hosting turbines on their land as well as many turbine neighbours – including community leaders - who live happily with the turbines. 

 

Neil Barrett of Takone Projects has been researching the Waubra situation over the past year. Whilst his attempts to understand the issues raised by complainants are on-going, it has become clear to him that the apparent good health and well-being of the great majority of the community deserves to be more widely known.

 

In these videos you will meet some of these down-to-earth farming people who live and work happily with wind turbines: people who are not `gagged’ from speaking out, people whose views should be taken seriously by all those who are concerned about climate change and the urgent need to develop renewable energy.

 

Duration: 11 segments averaging 4 mins each,  total 40 mins;

Introduction

In this introduction, the producer briefly notes that his attempts to understand the complainants’ problems were unsuccessful, introduces  the turbine hosts and their neighbours and their location in relation to turbines,  describes his study of wind farm opposition in Germany and Denmark  and gives some essential information about Waubra and the impact of the wind farm.

The Interviews

Rod Brennan - neighbour


Ken Ewing - host


Lawrence and Kerryn Gallagher - hosts


Tony and Margaret McDonald - neighbours


David Clark - neighbour


Steve and Karen Molloy - hosts


Elizabeth Daynes - neighbour


Ted and June Harrison - hosts


Marie Loader - neighbour


Doug Hobson - host

Credits

Researched, written, recorded and edited by Neil Barrett
Graphics: Mark Carter, Markmaking
Camera assist/backup: Daryl Evans, DazMedia
Special thanks to Wahid Hashimi, Taryn Lane, Jarra Hicks, Deane Belfield, Andrew Bray, Lee Fox, Kim Windsor and Heather Barrett
DVD sales: Takone Projects, PO Box 311, Castlemaine Australia 3450. Email: admin@eavonline.biz
Copyright: Takone Projects Pty Ltd 2013.  PO Box 311, Castlemaine, Australia 3450.  Creative Commons Licence. Attribution-NonCommercial-Non Derivs. 3.0 Unported
Any profits made from the sale of the DVD of this series will go to the Victorian Wind Alliance.
Disclaimer: The wind industry had no role, financial or otherwise, in the making of this DVD.
Use by companies and government bodies: Companies and government bodies (except for educational institutions) wishing to use this DVD for education, training or exhibition should contact Takone Projects at admin@eavonline.biz
Neil Barrett is a former energy economist with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, CEO of Video Education Australasia (VEA) and founding chair of the Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (2005-’08)




 

 

 

  commented 1 min ago · Flag

So good to hear from the people who live with these projects day in and day out. It amazes me how someone like Sara Laurie can continue to propagate her personal hate campaign against wind energy in Australia.
From a Canadian who follows this issue closely, thank you so much for showing the truth about wind energy.

 

   14 hours ago · Flag

Thanks Neil Barrett, you have done a real public service with these videos. They are very fair and constructive.

 

   1 day ago · Flag

Nice to see these videos made, I work in the renewable energy industry, I do not have allot to do with wind, but i do work with farmers and allot of farmers in and around wind turbines here in South Australia and near Portland VIC. When I see the news stories on all this “negative” about wind I really do scratch my head, it is not what I am seeing and hearing. Finally some stories getting out there showing a more truthful view of wind turbines. I am hearing same things said as the people saying in these videos from the SA people near wind farms. We just had a major farm stopped near where I live because of negative press and it would have dominated my view from my house, it is a real same the project was stopped by a few crackpots. Time for truth to come out

 

Don Ross commented 1 day ago · Flag

Refreshing to see and hear from the silent majority rather than just the noisy minority who garner far too much of the media’s attention. Well done and congrats to all in Waubra who are doing the right thing for our environment and future generations.

                

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