The Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Project pays its respect to the Traditional Custodians of Country, their Elders—past and present, and acknowledges their ancestral connection to the land, seas, and waterways. The project honours the collective knowledge, experiences, cultures, and traditions of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who for thousands of years have shared and exchanged knowledge, nurtured, and loved Country for the benefit of all.

Our first community benefits sharing workshop

July 2024

We recently held the first Oven Mountain Project community benefits sharing workshop with people from across the Kempsey, Bellbrook, Willawarrin, and Lower Creek communities.

During the workshop we worked together to understand local priorities and needs that could inform the development of a community benefits sharing program.

Benefit sharing is an important link between major renewable energy projects and the communities in which they will operate. It’s about creating a positive legacy in the community and bringing ongoing and lasting value to the region.

Workshop participants represented a range of interests including residents and landholders, First Nations groups, tourism and accommodation operators, community service providers, business organisations and community and special interest groups.

The workshop offered a great opportunity for local people to share their insights on the things that matter most to them. Some of these things included:

Improving mobile phone coverage for the Upper Macleay Valley where there is no coverage currently
Investing in community housing with a shared ownership model, targeting essential workers and First Nations community members
Developing emergency infrastructure at Blackbird Flat or Lower Creek to support residents during emergency evacuations
Providing safe and accessible upgrades to the Kempsey-Armidale Road.
Establishing a holistic centre that meets the needs of youth, medical requirements, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation
Supporting small to medium-sized local businesses and fostering skills, education, and training initiatives, including among the First Nations community
Supporting tourism initiatives, such as the National Trail, and provide ancillary infrastructure

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