Following the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) referral and public consultation period in August 2026, the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) has provided a decision outlining the manners which Bunbury Offshore Wind Farm must adopt to ensure risks and significant impacts to threatened and migratory species are avoided in future marine geophysical and geotechnical surveys.
The EPBC referral process requires the company to include all activities associated with marine geophysical and geotechnical activities that may, or may not, be required during the feasibility license term. Importantly, the referral does not remove or replace the requirements for further consultation.
For transparency, the company advised it has intentionally broadened the environmental assessment and referral to capture as many potential activities as possible, to ensure nothing is missed. As a result, the Environmental Impact Assessment covers the full suite of known survey activities that may occur during the development process across the entire seven-year feasibility licence term, which commenced in February 2026. The company has used the announcement to reaffirm its commitment to ongoing consultation throughout the development of the Bunbury Offshore Wind Project and will engage with stakeholders through formal statutory processes and management plan development, as well as other updates and engagements.