Ark Energy hands over 300 MW Wind Project located in Tasmania

Ark Energy is pleased to announce the successful handover of the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm, approved for the Central Highlands region of Tasmania, to new owner Vestas Development Australia.

Following eight years of planning and environmental approvals, originally by renewable developer Epuron and later Ark Energy’s development team, this critical milestone paves the way for construction of the 47 wind turbine project, which is slated to commence next year.

The project was approved by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in September 2025, after an appeal to the planning permit issued by Central Highlands Council in July 2024. It was approved by the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in December 2025.

Over the course of its development the project's layout was revised several times based on findings from eagle utilisation and environmental surveys, technical studies and community feedback, and reduced from an initial 67 wind turbines to a final layout of up to 47 wind turbines.

Environmental and social commitments include installation of industry-leading curtailment technology to protect eagles, a Neighbour Benefit Program and significant community benefit funding for the life of the project.

St Patricks Plains Wind Farm was Ark Energy’s first project in Tasmania to secure approvals. The approval is for a wind farm of up to 47 wind turbines with a generation capacity of up to 300 MW and ancillary infrastructure, which would be enough electricity to power ~131,000 average-sized Australian households per year.

The project will continue to work through consent conditions including geotechnical engineering and detailed design and management plans.