The Delburn Wind Farm has awarded $15,000 in pre-development grants to support non- profit groups across the community.
The grants recognise key local groups who deliver important projects that benefit communities surrounding the Delburn Wind Farm site.
Mr Peter Marriott, Executive Director Development at OSMI Australia said:
“We are pleased to be able to assist six community groups with a Delburn Wind Farm Pre- Development Grant. Their contribution to the community has many positive benefits for families and individuals who live in the area, and this is one way of saying thanks.
“In this latest round of community grants, we received applications for funding in excess of $275,000. We’d love to be able to support more community groups but at this time we are still in the pre-development phase of developing the wind farm.”
The community grants have been awarded to a diverse range of groups including:
- The Thorpdale Community News subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud to assist with the design and production of the publication. The Thorpdale Community News is an important communications channel that keeps residents and farmers who live in the area informed and well-connected.
- Boolarra Play Group with a large outdoor picnic table for use at the Boolarra Multi Purpose Building recreational area. Play Group parents with young infants and children will be able to use the table for their outdoor activities and when they have educational visits from other local community groups.
- Mirboo North Secondary College ‘Animals in School’ project expansion. Larger enclosures will assist this successful initiative to continue boosting student wellbeing, connections and stress reduction. The animals provide students with a hands-on opportunity to learn about environmental sciences and caring for the environment. In addition, three outdoor seats will be installed in the college gardens for use in outdoor class sessions. Students attending the secondary college come from far and wide and from many locations around the wind farm site.
- Gippsland FM Community Radio for training to build and maintain a website containing local news and information. With 20,000 listeners, the radio station produces programs for people who may be vision-impaired, ethnic or indigenous and covering current affairs, sport and community group activities.
- Mirboo North United Football Club to deliver first aid training to club volunteers. The training will assist players and trainers, family members and 6000 community members who attend the games from Boolarra, Mirboo North, Yinnar, Dumbalk, Thorpdale and surrounds.
Mr Marriott said the community benefits grants would grow when construction starts.
“Once construction is underway in 2024, the Delburn Wind Farm Community Development Fund will increase to around $150,000 per year ($750 per megawatt installed). This will allow the community to bring some of bigger ideas that we have not yet been able to support to life.
The decision making on these grants will be made in collaboration with a new Community Benefits Committee that will be established in 2024 to oversee the investment in community projects around the wind farm.
“Since the project was announced in 2019, the Delburn Wind Farm has awarded over $55,000 in pre-development funding grants to assist local groups to deliver vital community projects.
“We will continue to work with the near neighbours and local groups surrounding the Delburn Wind Farm to bring direct value back to our local communities,” Mr Marriott said.
