QAZAQ GREEN. Australia has granted federal approval to the Wongalee wind energy project, which has the capacity to generate up to 1.4 GW of wind power, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The approval completes the project's major government approvals pathway and brings it closer to financial close.

Wongalee is located on Yirendali Country in Flinders Shire, on pastoral land north-east of Hughenden and about 300 kilometres south-west of Townsville. The project is being developed by Windlab in partnership with Fortescue under a Joint Development Agreement as part of the North Queensland Super Hub.

The federal approval follows the project's State Development Approval, meaning Wongalee has now secured all major government approvals at both state and federal levels.

Windlab Chief Development Officer Nathan Blundell said the project had been shaped over several years through environmental assessments, technical studies and engagement with stakeholders across the region.

"We've worked closely with local communities, landholders and Traditional Owners to understand local priorities and develop a project that can coexist with agriculture while delivering long-term benefits for North West Queensland," Blundell said.

Wongalee is the second project within the North Queensland Super Hub to secure all major state and federal approvals. It follows the Prairie wind energy project, which received similar federal approval in 2025.

Project development has included nine seasonal ecological field studies and more than 1,050 hours of environmental surveys since 2021, alongside ongoing engagement with landholders, Traditional Owners and the broader regional community.

Engagement with the Yirendali Traditional Owners has helped shape the project. In 2024, the parties signed a Shared Benefits Agreement and a Cultural Heritage Management Agreement.

The project is located in an area with strong wind resources and is positioned to benefit from CopperString infrastructure, which will connect North West Queensland to Australia's National Electricity Market.

Wongalee is part of the North Queensland Super Hub and builds on Windlab's long-standing presence in the Hughenden region, where the company has previously been involved in the development, construction and operation of Kennedy Energy Park.