As you may know, Gawara Baya received its approval from the Federal Government in June 2024.

This milestone is the result of more than five years’ development work, 8,000 hours of detailed ecological study and analysis and three years’ in-depth consultation to deliver a responsible and balanced project design.

We are now preparing for the responsible delivery of Gawara Baya. Main construction works are due to start next year, with construction planning ongoing for the remainder of 2024.

Before starting construction, we will create detailed plans to manage construction impacts and traffic, protect plants and animals, and implement other plans to ensure safety and compliance.

In July 2024, we held a community information session at the Mount Fox Campground to update you on the project and answer your questions. We would like to thank the Mount Fox Community and visitors for the productive conversations, ideas, and feedback.

As we move closer to starting construction, we will keep you informed about what to expect and are always available for a chat.

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Supporting opportunities for local businesses

About 300 jobs will be created during peak construction, needing a diverse workforce, including local jobs for local people.

In May 2023, Windlab hosted workshops in Ingham, Charters Towers, and Townsville for local businesses interested in Gawara Baya tender opportunities.

We are now in the process of finalising main works contractor agreements. Once these are awarded, Windlab will host events to support local businesses with ICN Gateway registration and facilitate introductions for subcontractors interested in local employment.

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Proudly supporting regional events that matter to locals

Last month, we sponsored the 2024 Maraka Festival in Ingham and Rush Festival in Charters Towers. We know these events hold a special place in the heart of our host communities, and we love being a part of them.

Ingham local, Phil, who is the Construction Manager for Gawara Baya, had a great time chatting with community members at the Maraka Festival and particularly loved rocking out to the band Zacariah on cocktail night.

Thank you to everyone who made these festivals unforgettable! We look forward to continuing to give back and strengthening our connections to community in years to come.

Community Benefit Fund

Thank you to all of the community groups and local organisations that submitted applications for the Gawara Baya Community Benefit Fund.

We received an overwhelming response to our first funding round, with a total of 25 applications received.

We have fast tracked a number of time-sensitive projects for funding that will deliver immediate benefits. These have been carefully chosen based on support for communities closest to our project, in addition to how we can deliver the most bang for buck.

We are thrilled to be supporting more than $60,000 worth of initiatives in the first phase, including:

▪ Upgraded campfire pits at the Mount Fox Campground in partnership with the RFS

▪ Sponsorship of Rush Festival in Charters Towers

▪ Sponsorship of the Maraka Festival in Ingham

▪ Shop to Win initiative run by the Hinchinbrook Chamber of Commerce

▪ Upgrades to the Amenity Block at the Mount Fox Campground in partnership with Council and Powerlink

We remain committed to funding additional projects in the future and will continue our conversations with applicants early next year.

A reminder that this first funding round is just the beginning! The Gawara Baya Community Benefit Fund is an annual fund of $200,000, split between the Hinchinbrook Shire and Charters Towers Local Government Areas, for the life of the project.

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Cultural Heritage

Under the Cultural Heritage Management Agreement, early works surveys are being conducted to identify cultural heritage, as well as implementation of vegetation and wildlife management plans to ensure their protection. This has involved partnering with Gugu Badhun cultural heritage monitors who share valuable knowledge to help us respect and protect cultural sites and artifacts.

Cultural Heritage that has been found on Country includes stone artefacts and tools such as flakes, cores, stone axes, hammerstones and grind bases that are either isolated or in scatters.

Gugu Badhun Traditional Owner histories link its people to ancient geological events which western scientists estimate to have occurred approximately 7,000 years ago.