Yarralumla resident Robert Herrick is leading the charge against the power station. Photo: James Coleman.
Yarralumla residents are protesting the placement of a key piece of light rail infrastructure in their suburb, for fear of what it means for the favourite local green space.
The grassy, tree-scattered corridor between Gunn Street and Newman Street is a popular place for local families to “kick a ball around”, as well as a known haunt for Diamond Firetails, Golden Sun Moths, Gang-gang cockatoos and Superb Parrots.
It also carries a once-in-1oo-year flood risk because of the creek flowing through it – another reason no houses have been built there.
But when light rail reaches this part of Canberra on its way between Commonwealth Park and Woden, this green space is set to house an enormous electrical substation.
Estimated to measure up to 40 metres long, 6 metres wide and 8 to 10 metres high, the so-called traction power substation (TPSS) will be tasked with taking AC power from the suburb’s existing electrical grid and converting it to the DC power needed by light rail.
Estimates suggest noise from the substation could hover around the 60-decibel mark (about as loud as a normal conversation).
Its future neighbours, including Robert Herrick from the Yarralumla Residents Association (YRA), are happy about none of it.
“Imagine three of those B-double trailers parked side by side, and that’s going to be put on this open parkland,” he says.
“We’re worried about the biodiversity that’s going to be destroyed. There are four species of animals that are going to suffer from this … power station [that’s] going to be smack bang on top of their habitat.
“All these species are supposed to be protected under the National Capital Plan but the government seems to be wanting to wipe it away.”
Residents also recall a flood in January 2024, when the stormwater creek, running down the middle of the corridor, burst its banks, with the water reaching where the TPSS would sit.
“It would have inundated this power station had it been here,” Mr Herrick adds.
“There are lots of risks we’re all concerned about.”
The ACT Government’s own draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for light rail stage 2B admits impacts to the Golden Sun Moth, Superb Parrot and Gang-gang cockatoo would be “significant” along the route.
The document, released for public feedback in early July, found there would be some “unavoidable clearing” of native vegetation and habitat, mostly concentrated around the Parliament House and Yarra Glen areas.
“[This includes] potential habitat for several threatened species, including the Golden Sun Moth, Superb Parrot, Gang-gang cockatoo and Diamond Firetail,” the report noted.
“Losses would include five to six hectares of native vegetation and between 116 and 126 mature native trees (noting 15 to 19 of those trees are hollow-bearing).”
In its submission to the ACT Government, the YRA points out that some of this impact could be reduced by moving the TPSS to a small carpark off Denison Street in Deakin, which also meets the key criterion of being within 200 metres of the track.
The Yarralumla green space between Gunn and Newman streets. Photo: James Coleman.
“There’s open ground, so no habitat problems, and there are no houses, so I don’t know why they’re going to put it here when that’s a much more suitable alternative,” Mr Herrick says.
“We don’t want to mount a campaign to stop the tram at all … We just don’t want this big power substation built in an open grassland area between houses. It just seems to be the wrong place to put it.”
The draft EIS is on public exhibition until 5 September.
