As you drive from Crookwell to Taralga you can’t miss the large turbines that gradually appear on the horizon to the east of the village. The prospect of these turbines created a bit of anxiety for local residents before they were constructed, but they are now being welcomed as an important part of the landscape and community. Three years into its operation, the wind farm is an active and supportive part of the local community. In the last year alone, the wind farm has contributed $124,000 to important local organisations and events.
I recently joined around 30 people at the Masonic Hall in Taralga to get an update on the contributions Taralga Wind Farm is making to the town and surrounds.
I was there to join Taralga Wind Farm representatives as they awarded the latest round of community fund grants. There was a buoyant atmosphere in the air as each grant was awarded, and a sense of excitement about the work ahead for each project.
I took the chance to catch up with a number of locals, including ex-Upper Lachlan Councillor, Brian “Snow” Moloney, Brian Corby, Jo Boyce and Glen Elliott. All were enthusiastic about the presence of the wind farm and its role in the future of Taralga.
Krista Kim and Adam Chandler from Pacific Hydro reassured the audience of the commitment of the wind farm owners to meaningful, ongoing engagement with, and support of, the local community.
It was a wonderful experience to be in this positive, enthusiastic, and connected community for a couple of hours.
Projects that received funding included:
- the Taralga Memorial Hall: $43,700 for the installation of a much needed heating system,
- the Taralga Bowling Club: $16,380 for a new turf aerator and scarifier,
- the Golspie Community Hall: $10,000 for a much needed upgrade of their facilities,
- the Taralga Cooperative: $20,000 for completing an upgrade to the amenities at the showground,
- the Taralga Anglican Parish: $9,812 for renovating the renovation of the wooden floor at the Jamieson Hall,
- the Taralga Australia Day Committee: $9,250 for new fencing along the front of the showground,
- the Taralga Community and Medical Association: $6,200 for refurbishment of the doctors’ rooms at the medical centre,
- the Taralga AP&H Society: $9,250 for a new bar shed at the showground; and
- the Taralga Sports Club, the Taralga RSL Club, and the Taralga Historical Society also received funding certificates on the day.