Hey everyone, sign this Open Letter Petition to Twiggy Forrest, owner of the Morton Hill Wind Farm development, and implore him to protect our Iconic Southern Brolga.

Dear Twiggy Forrest,

I hear you are a good Aussie bloke who has a soft spot for the environment.

I see you are moving your wind farm businesses down south to the Western Districts of Victoria, where the iconic Southern Brolga lives and breeds. 

As you know, wind farm developments are now the biggest threat to the Endangered Southern Brolga and the Western District of Victoria is the stronghold for this species. 

The remaining few Brolga habitats are crucial for the survival of the species, and now wind farm developments are driving the last few nesting pairs of Brolgas out of these habitats, and with nowhere else to go, breeding just stops. 

12 wind farms have been built so far inside Brolga home ranges and 70 nest sites and 20 flocking sites are no longer used by the Brolga because wind farms have displaced them for 5km from the turbines.

Some Brolga have also been killed by the turbines.

Brolgas live for 40 years and partner for life, so once a Brolga is killed or displaced its partner won’t breed again, and if they don’t breed the species will die out. 

Brolgas protect their young for up to 2 years. If the parents are scared off or killed by the turbines and separated from their young and don’t return to their breeding and flocking homeranges, the young will perish and the species will die out. 

With only 200 breeding pairs left in the world, it is crucial that all breeding and flocking home ranges are protected with at least a 5km buffer from wind turbines. 

Don’t think you can mitigate for the Brolga failing to breed or being killed. Several wind farms have permit conditions requiring them to mitigate the losses by creating habitat and showing successful breeding and an increase in the Brolga population, but they have failed completely to date, with no recorded success at all. 

Don’t think you can catch and release Northern Brolga into Victoria. The genetically unique Southern Brolga and the Sarus Crane-interbred Northern Brolga are very different. They breed differently, flock differently and eat differently. If anyone attempted this, they would be committing biodiversity vandalism.  

If you build a wind farm at Morton Hill where the turbines are within 5km of current active Brolga breeding and flocking sites, you will contribute to the eradication of an Iconic Aussie Species.

I am sure this is not your intention – why would any good Aussie bloke want to do that? 

You can find more information about the Endangered Western District Brolga at  www.windfarmliving.com 

I implore you to do the right thing and protect Brolga habitats from your wind farm development, apply the 5km buffer and adopt the precautionary principle to enable the endangered Southern Brolga to survive.

Thank you 

A fellow Aussie.