Our Hepburn Community Wind Farm was declared officially open on Saturday 5 November when 10 year old Neve Bosher of St Augustine’s School in Creswick cut a massive ribbon wrapping the girth of a 68m high wind tower, in front of more than 760 people. Miss Bosher beat a field of 147 other school children in the region, in a competition to name the 2 REpower wind turbines. Her winning names are Gale and Gusto.

As part of her prize, Neve was given a small parcel of shares, joining 1900 others who jointly own Australia’s first community-owned wind farm, 10 km south of Daylesford, in Central Victoria.

Per Bernard, founder of Hepburn Wind said, ‘In Denmark, where I was born, most wind farms are owned by communities. I am so proud that the Hepburn community has come together to benefit from renewable energy.’

Vicki Horrigan, chair of the Hepburn Wind Community Fund announced grants of $15,000 to community groups for causes as diverse as an arboreal tree mammal research project in the Wombat Forest, a community arts project by the Bungal Arts Depot in Ballan, welding equipment for the Daylesford Men’s Shed and play equipment for the Clunes Playgroup.