Professional Services (Current Phase): While the planning and design stage is well advanced, we may still have needs for consulting services such as surveying, geotechnical drilling, environmental studies, cultural heritage assessments, legal and financial services, etc. Local firms with expertise in engineering design, town planning, or environmental consulting can contribute to studies and approvals. For example, specialists in ecological or heritage assessment from the region have been engaged, and there is scope for more involvement as we refine designs.

Civil Construction & Earthworks: This includes earthmoving, road construction, and concrete works. Local civil contractors (with experience in roads, mining or CSG projects) are well positioned to handle tasks like grading access roads, pouring turbine foundations, excavating cable trenches, and building drainage systems. There will be requirements for quarry materials (aggregate, sand) and possibly sourcing water for construction – presenting supply opportunities for local quarries and water trucking businesses. Companies with heavy machinery (dozers, graders, excavators, trucks) can offer wet or dry hire of equipment. We anticipate multiple civil subcontract packages, and smaller firms could partner or subcontract to larger ones to get involved.

Electrical & Grid Works: Balance of Plant (BoP) electrical works include underground cabling, onsite substation construction, and connection to the Powerlink 275 kV transmission line. While specialist high-voltage contractors will lead these works, significant local support will be required. Opportunities include supply of materials (conduits, cable bedding sand, electrical components), civil works for substation pads, security fencing, and assistance with low-voltage or auxiliary electrical systems. Testing and commissioning will also require technicians with industrial electrical backgrounds, with scope for upskilling local workers. Local fabrication businesses may contribute by constructing transformer enclosures or control room structures. Consistent with the project’s commitment to local industry participation, even highly technical scopes will prioritise local content where feasible, including training local electricians to support specialist crews.

Wind Turbine Installation: The erection of turbines (tower, nacelle, blades) is typically handled by the turbine OEM and their expert subcontractors. However, local crane companies and rigging crews can play a role for lifting turbine components; if local or regional crane providers have this capacity or can acquire it, we encourage their participation. Additionally, transport companies will be needed to haul components from port – oversized load specialists will be contracted, and there may be chances for local pilot vehicle operators, road upgrade contractors (to modify corners or install culverts on transport routes), etc. Local mechanical services might support the main crews (for instance, heavy equipment maintenance, welding and machining services for any on-site fixes). We also foresee needing short-term assembly facilities – e.g. a laydown yard or warehouse near the site. Local real estate or industrial landowners could lease space for this, and local staffing agencies might help source extra Labor for the OEM’s assembly tasks.

Support Services (Accommodation, Catering, etc.): Beyond direct construction trades, a project of this size demands a host of support and hospitality services. The Project has a Workforce Accommodation Strategy in place and will liaise with dedicated workforce housing providers to avoid tension on local housing . This is a chance for accommodation providers and related services (cleaners, laundry services) to benefit. Local restaurants, cafes, and caterers will be needed to provide meals – whether through catering contracts for onsite crew kitchens or simply through increased patronage in town. Bus companies or shuttle services may be contracted to transport workers from town to site each day. There’s also security (site security personnel, CCTV system providers), medical services (on-call medics or local clinics for any injuries), and waste management (skip bins, sewage pump-out from portable toilets) – all of which we prefer to source locally. Even smaller scale suppliers like office stationery, PPE gear, tool shops, and fuel distributors will see increased demand. The Western Downs local business community is diverse and can meet many of these needs, and we intend to publish a detailed list of required services so businesses can identify opportunities.

Workforce Development & Training: We understand that engaging local businesses goes hand-in-hand with building local workforce capacity. Many stakeholders have emphasized the importance of training and apprenticeships to ensure locals can fill the skilled jobs created. In response, our project is developing an Australian Industry Participation Plan (AIPP) that includes a Local Industry Participation Plan. Concretely, this means we’ll set targets for local employment and work with training providers to achieve them. For example, we might collaborate with TAFE or apprenticeship groups in the Darling Downs to upskill workers in high-demand areas (like high-voltage electrical work, wind turbine maintenance, working at heights, etc.). We encourage businesses to take on apprentices and trainees in relevant trades – the project timeline allows someone starting an apprenticeship now to be trade-qualified by the peak of construction. According to our survey, many local firms are open to hiring more apprentices in civil, electrical, and professional fields. We will support these efforts by facilitating training (such as offering project site for practical training sessions or partnering to run courses like “Working at Heights” certification, turbine safety, and advanced rescue techniques). Our ultimate aim is to leave a legacy of a more skilled local workforce. When the wind farm is operational, we want most of the technicians and support staff to be people who live in the region – and that starts with training and hiring locals during the build.