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Australia’s push towards renewable energy is vital — but not all projects are created equal. The recently approved Robbins Island Windfarm in northwest Tasmania is a project that has sparked fierce debate, not only for its scale but for its location and the wildlife it threatens.
A Short History of the Robbins Island Windfarm
The Robbins Island Windfarm was first proposed by UPC\AC Renewables Australia (now ACEN Australia), a company fully owned by the Ayala Group of the Philippines. Over the years, this project has faced numerous hurdles, including repeated federal deferrals and state-level conditions requiring seasonal shutdowns to protect wildlife.
Despite these concerns, in August 2025 the Federal Government approved up to 100 turbines (≈900 MW) alongside a causeway/bridge, wharf, and quarries. The approval came with 88 environmental conditions, yet many conservationists argue these conditions are nowhere near enough.
For many, the biggest issue is not just the turbines — it’s the site itself. Robbins Island is a vital habitat for endangered species and part of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, one of the world’s most important bird migration corridors.
The Tasmanian Devil: A Disease-Free Stronghold at Risk
Robbins Island is home to one of the last disease-free populations of Tasmanian Devils. This is critically important because mainland Tasmanian Devils have been devastated by Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), which has wiped out nearly 90% of some wild populations.
By building a causeway/bridge between Robbins Island and the mainland, we risk creating a bridge for disease — allowing DFTD to spread to this safe population. Once this happens, there is no turning back. The devil, already endangered, could lose one of its last strongholds.
The Orange-bellied Parrot: Flying into Danger
One of Australia’s rarest birds, the Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP), migrates between breeding grounds in Tasmania and the mainland each year. Robbins Island lies directly within this migration corridor.
The wind turbines proposed here pose a lethal risk. Even a small number of deaths from turbine strikes could tip the species — already critically endangered — into extinction. Previous environmental rulings even mandated a five-month shutdown of turbines during migration season, but this was overturned after legal challenges by the company.
More Than Just Wildlife: Selling Out Australia
Beyond the environmental devastation, this project raises another question: who benefits?
ACEN Australia is wholly owned by the Ayala Group, a multinational conglomerate based in the Philippines. That means the profits from this project flow overseas, while Australians are left to carry the costs — the loss of endangered species, degraded landscapes, and the erosion of trust in environmental protection laws.
This is not the first time Australia has allowed foreign-owned corporations to dictate what happens to our land, but it must be one of the most alarming. In the race for renewable energy investment, are we selling out our wildlife, our land, and our future?
A False Choice
Let’s be clear: Habitat for the Future supports renewable energy. But we do not support renewable projects that destroy the very biodiversity we are trying to protect. Renewable energy should be a solution for the climate crisis, not another nail in the coffin for endangered species.
We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past — choosing sites that are convenient for developers but catastrophic for wildlife. The push for clean energy must not come at the expense of Tasmania’s iconic wildlife.
What You Can Do
Every Australian has a role to play in demanding better.
- Share this story and raise awareness about what’s at stake.
- Support conservation groups fighting to protect the Tasmanian Devil and Orange-bellied Parrot.
- Hold governments accountable when they put foreign profits ahead of Australian wildlife.
Because once these species are gone, no amount of renewable energy will bring them back.
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