The video series Waubra: The Way The Wind Blows was a way for the residents of Waubra to have their say on wind energy.
In these videos you will meet some of these down-to-earth farming people who live and work happily with wind turbines: people who are not `gagged’ from speaking out, people whose views should be taken seriously by all those who are concerned about climate change and the urgent need to develop renewable energy.
Since the Waubra wind farm started generating power in 2009, the town has acquired a dubious reputation: the so-called `Waubra Disease’ is now known internationally. But how much sense does it make? Whilst there’s a small number of complainants among the population of 500, there are also 30 families hosting turbines on their land as well as many turbine neighbours – including community leaders - who live happily with the turbines.
Neil Barrett of Takone Projects has been researching the Waubra situation over the past year. Whilst his attempts to understand the issues raised by complainants are on-going, it has become clear to him that the apparent good health and well-being of the great majority of the community deserves to be more widely known.
Waubra’s residents tell their stories
Introduction
In this introduction, the producer briefly notes that his attempts to understand the complainants’ problems were unsuccessful, introduces the turbine hosts and their neighbours and their location in relation to turbines, describes his study of wind farm opposition in Germany and Denmark and gives some essential information about Waubra and the impact of the wind farm.
The Interviews
Lawrence and Kerryn Gallagher - hosts
Ken Ewing - host
Rod Brennan - neighbour
Tony and Margaret McDonald - neighbours
David Clark - neighbour
Steve and Karen Molloy - hosts
Elizabeth Daynes - neighbour
Ted and June Harrison - hosts
Marie Loader - neighbour
Doug Hobson - host
Credits
Researched, written, recorded and edited by Neil Barrett
Graphics: Mark Carter, Markmaking
Camera assist/backup: Daryl Evans, DazMedia
Special thanks to Wahid Hashimi, Taryn Lane, Jarra Hicks, Deane Belfield, Andrew Bray, Lee Fox, Kim Windsor and Heather Barrett
DVD sales: Takone Projects, PO Box 311, Castlemaine Australia 3450. Email: [email protected]
Copyright: Takone Projects Pty Ltd 2013. PO Box 311, Castlemaine, Australia 3450. Creative Commons Licence. Attribution-NonCommercial-Non Derivs. 3.0 Unported
Any profits made from the sale of the DVD of this series will go to the Victorian Wind Alliance.
Disclaimer: The wind industry had no role, financial or otherwise, in the making of this DVD.
Use by companies and government bodies: Companies and government bodies (except for educational institutions) wishing to use this DVD for education, training or exhibition should contact Takone Projects at [email protected]
Neil Barrett is a former energy economist with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, CEO of Video Education Australasia (VEA) and founding chair of the Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (2005-’08)