Timeline of Events
A chronological record of key events relating to the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm and the community response.
Third Week of April 2026
Residents in the Furracabad and Matheson districts were first approached by representatives of Iberdrola Australia regarding investigations into the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm. Local landowners and neighbouring residents were advised that feasibility investigations were underway for a potential large-scale wind energy project in the region.
6 May 2026
The NSW Government announced the introduction of the Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026, proposing streamlined assessment pathways for selected renewable energy projects.
7 May 2026
Iberdrola Australia conducted a community information drop-in session at the Glen Innes Town Hall regarding investigations into the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm. Local residents attended to seek information about the project, its potential scale and the areas under investigation. The session generated significant community interest and concern.
14 May 2026
The Reddestone Wind Farm Action Group launched its official website. The Action Group thanks Justin from marsbound.co (a Glen Innes web developer) for his efforts and for donating his time.
15 May 2026
Local residents met with representatives of Iberdrola Australia to discuss the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm and seek further information regarding the project's potential impacts on nearby properties and the wider district. A range of concerns were raised, including visual impacts, noise, property values, agricultural impacts, environmental considerations and the scale of the proposed development.
Mid May 2026
A Development Application was lodged with Glen Innes Severn Council for a temporary Meteorological Monitoring Tower within the proposed project investigation area.
22 May 2026
The Action Group submitted its first formal list of questions to Iberdrola Australia at a meeting held with Iberdrola at the Glen Innes Hub, seeking clarification regarding the proposal and its potential impacts on local residents and the wider district.
23 May 2026
The Action Group lodged a detailed response to Iberdrola, raising concerns regarding the previous refusal of Glen Innes Wind Farm Modification 4 and requesting clarification as to why similar planning concerns would not arise for the Reddestone proposal.
23 May 2026
A meeting was held with Action Group members to discuss the proposed wind farm and coordinate responses to the Meteorological Monitoring Tower Development Application.
24 May 2026
Iberdrola acknowledged receipt of the Action Group's correspondence and advised that a further response would be provided.
26 May 2026
Members of the Action Group participated in a Channel 7 News interview highlighting community concerns regarding the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm and the impacts experienced by residents facing the prospect of industrial-scale development in the district.
Late May 2026
The Reddestone Wind Farm Action Group became formally incorporated as a community association.
29 May 2026
Iberdrola provided a written response to questions and concerns raised by the Action Group. Most of the questions were unanswered.
29 May 2026
The Action Group distributed a summary of Iberdrola's response to members and the broader community, outlining key concerns and matters requiring further clarification.
Early June 2026
Correspondence was sent to elected representatives seeking support and raising concerns regarding the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm and proposed changes to renewable energy planning legislation in New South Wales.
5 June 2026
Public submissions closed for the proposed Meteorological Monitoring Tower Development Application. Numerous submissions were lodged by local residents raising concerns regarding the relationship between the tower and the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm investigations.
10 June 2026
Representatives of the Reddestone Wind Farm Action Group met with local State Member for Northern Tablelands, Brendan Moylan, to discuss community concerns regarding the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm. The Action Group outlined concerns regarding visual impacts, noise, cumulative impacts on valley residents, property rights, agricultural impacts and the need for genuine community consultation throughout the planning process. Representatives also raised concerns regarding agreements being offered to non-host landowners and emphasised that residents should seek independent legal advice before signing any documentation presented by project proponents. Mr Moylan was receptive to the concerns raised and expressed support for local residents having their voices heard throughout the planning process. He advised that he would continue to engage with Iberdrola as the project progressed, raise community concerns in Parliament with relevant Ministers, and keep informed of developments affecting the local community.
12 June 2026
The Reddestone Wind Farm Action Group launched its membership program on the website, providing residents with access to project information, community updates and opportunities to become involved in the campaign.
12 June 2026
The Action Group released its first community newsletter, providing an overview of recent developments, planning issues and ongoing community concerns.
June 2026
Membership of the Action Group continued to grow as additional residents from the Furracabad, Matheson and surrounding districts joined the campaign.
1 July 2026
The Reddestone Wind Farm Action Group held a public community meeting at the Glen Innes Services Club. Residents received updates on the proposed project, its planning history, the meteorological monitoring tower application and the Action Group's activities. Community members were also invited to ask questions and share their concerns.
Early July 2026
The Action Group published Newsletter No. 2, providing members with updates on recent activities, the Highlands Precincts Activation Framework submission, campaign progress and opportunities for further community involvement.
27 July 2026
The Action Group lodged a formal submission responding to Council's Draft Highlands Precincts Activation Framework and Strategy. The submission raised concerns about references to the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm and called for the strategy to properly recognise the project's potential impacts on residents, rural land, landscape character and the wider Glen Innes community.
Late July 2026
The Action Group launched its "Topic of the Month" educational series, commencing with "Visual Impact – More Than Just the View." The article explains how large-scale wind developments can affect landscape character, tourism, rural amenity and the everyday experience of residents, while outlining why visual impact extends beyond simply seeing turbines on the horizon.
Late July 2026
Glen Innes Severn Council approved the Development Application for a temporary meteorological monitoring tower at 80 Camerons Road, Matheson. Although the approval relates only to the monitoring tower, residents had raised concerns about its direct connection to Iberdrola's feasibility investigations for the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm.
Late July 2026
Following its visual-impact series, the Action Group commenced a community information campaign examining wind turbine noise. Topics included background-noise monitoring, low-frequency sound, nighttime conditions, weather patterns, valley topography and the potential effects on nearby residents.
Late July 2026
The Action Group expanded its community education campaign by publishing a series of information articles on its website covering visual impact, wind turbine noise, planning history and other issues associated with the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm.
Late July 2026
The Action Group released additional visual resources, including photographs and landscape imagery, to help residents understand the potential visibility of the proposed wind farm from Glen Innes, surrounding rural properties and key public viewpoints.
Late July 2026
The Action Group prepared and distributed community information material explaining that the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm occupies substantially the same ridgeline as the Glen Innes Wind Farm Modification 4 proposal refused by the NSW Government in 2020, encouraging residents to consider the previous planning decision when assessing the current proposal.
Late July 2026
The Action Group continued to engage with local media and the community, providing factual information through social media channels to improve public awareness of the proposal and its potential impacts.
3 August 2026
Following approval of the meteorological monitoring mast, the Action Group wrote formally to Iberdrola Australia setting out the community's expectations for transparency and consultation during the project's investigation phase. The letter requested detailed information about the mast's construction and operation, meteorological data, future background-noise monitoring, acoustic modelling, access to underlying data, compliance procedures and the handling of community complaints. Iberdrola was asked to provide a written response within seven days.
Early August 2026
The Action Group launched its August "Topic of the Month", a two-part community information series examining wind turbine noise. The series explains how turbine noise is assessed, the importance of background-noise monitoring and how low-frequency sound, nighttime conditions, weather patterns, temperature inversions and valley topography may influence what nearby residents experience.
Early August 2026
Residents and members of the Action Group wrote to Glen Innes Severn Council expressing disappointment about the approval of the meteorological monitoring tower. The correspondence called for greater transparency, meaningful community consultation and proper recognition of the tower's connection to the proposed wind farm investigations.
Early August 2026
The Action Group continued contacting State and Federal representatives to raise community concerns and seek support. Correspondence was directed to representatives including Brendan Moylan MP, Barnaby Joyce MP and Senator Pauline Hanson's office.
Early August 2026
The Action Group began preparing a letterbox distribution to households throughout Glen Innes. The campaign aims to ensure town residents—not only those living in Furracabad and Matheson—understand the proposed project's scale, location, supporting infrastructure and potential visibility from Glen Innes.
August 2026
The Action Group released its third community newsletter, providing updates on the meteorological monitoring tower decision, community engagement, educational campaigns and the next stages of the group's activities.
Current Status – August 2026
Iberdrola Australia continues to describe the proposed Reddestone Wind Farm as being in the feasibility investigation stage. No formal State Significant Development application for the wind farm has been lodged. The Action Group continues to monitor developments, seek information and keep residents informed.