General News
26 September, 2026
Feedback invited on project
PUBLIC submissions have formally opened on a major clean energy development proposed for Tully, marking a significant milestone for what is slated to become Far North Queensland’s largest standalone battery energy storage facility.
Developers RWE Renewables Australia submitted their updated development application (DA) for the lithium-ion Tully battery energy storage system (BESS) project in June.
The proposal is currently undergoing formal assessment by the Queensland Government’s State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).
Members of the local community have been invited to register formal feedback during a 15-business day public notification period, which opened on Monday 21 September and runs through until Tuesday 13 October.
The standalone battery installation is mapped across a 9ha “disturbance footprint” off Tully Gorge Road and Sandy Creek Road.
The chosen site sits directly adjacent to Powerlink’s existing Tully Substation – a key regional power hub that supplies electricity across most of North and Far North Queensland.
Approval is being sought for a “material change of use”.
State planning documents outline that the project will feature up to 188 battery storage units measuring 2.8m in height, a 6.1m switchroom and an optional 6m acoustic noise wall.
Overhead transmission line infrastructure connecting the facility to the adjacent substation will be supported by concrete transmission poles rising up to 27.5m as the site’s highest structures.
Property boundary setbacks range from 6m on the western side to 350m in the east, with a total site coverage footprint of 28%.
Tully BESS project manager Bal Saini told The Observer that the company welcomes all community feedback as the planning assessment moves forward.
“As with any major infrastructure project, we appreciate that community members may have a range of views,” he said.
“The project team welcomes feedback from across the community and there is also an opportunity to provide a formal submission to the State Assessment and Referral Agency as part of the development application assessment process.”
To assist locals with questions regarding the assessment, RWE is hosting daily “community drop-in sessions” at its project office at 3/24 Butler Street, Tully. The office will be open week days until 7 October (excluding Mondays) from 9am to 5pm.
“Since the early stages of the project, we have actively collaborated with stakeholders across the Cassowary Coast region to seek feedback and incorporate local perspectives into the development application,” Mr Saini said, noting ongoing consultations with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council, traditional owners, surrounding landholders and local businesses.
The project recently cleared key preliminary hurdles, with council approving a $3.45 million Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) to fund local community, educational and environmental initiatives over the project’s lifetime.
If approved, construction will support approximately 60 full-time jobs, with three permanent operational roles created upon completion.
Mr Saini confirmed that timelines remain subject to regulatory approvals, grid connections and weather conditions, with construction targeted for mid-2027 and commissioning planned for 2029.
Formal public submissions can be logged online via the SARA submissions portal at planning.qld.gov.au, emailed to renewablesplanning@dsdip.qld.gov.au, or posted directly to the department of state development, infrastructure and planning at PO Box 15009, City East QLD 4002.
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