SPRING RANGE LANDSCAPE GUARDIANS

Spring Range Community Landscape Guardians Association Inc

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Spring Range

Lies on the rural fringe of Canberra, Australia. It is the line of hills on your right as you leave the ACT via the Barton Highway near Hall. The ridge line has attracted a proposal by ActewAgl to install industrial wind turbines.

Spring Range belies its rural appearance. Within a few kilometers of the proposed turbines there are numerous small properties, mostly residential hobby farms with owners commuting daily to Canberra for work. The population of the location can be expected to increase over time as Canberra expands.

Photos may explain why some folk choose to live here and why they wish to preserve its character:

Run the mouse over the thumbnail image for a description and click to enlarge.

Eastern View of Range

This was taken on an Autumn morning as the first rays of the rising sun caught the eastern slopes of the range. Turbines are planned along the ridge line.

Afternoon View of eastern range

This is taken from almost the same spot as the previous photo. Only the time and light has changed It is still the eastern side of the range but now late afternoon.

Old windmill against range

This dam is near Graeme's place at the northern end of the range. There is some light relief in displaying a more benign use of wind power - a rural windmill pumping water for stock.

Vineyard with Range in background

The western side of Spring Range viewed from a local vineyard. A number of vineyards in the district provide cellar door sales and/or cafe facilities to visitors. This one is 1960 metres from the planned turbine site.

View of Setting Sun

The eastern side of the range from Graeme's place in Autumn. Canberra light at midday can be harsh, but a combination of beautifully clear air and a setting sun often sets the paddocks glowing in late afternoon.

Property on southern slopes of range

This home is on the southern end of the range. It was taken in Spring after rain. The green will burn off in early summer leaving the more usual dry golden landscape. The home is typical of about 50 scattered around the range and the trees here conceal a few other homes. The ridge immediately behind the house will remain unscarred. Landholders there have not signed with turbine developers. However the landscape will not escape modification. The hills on the right of the photo are planned for turbines.

View from Lake Springfield

Lake Springfield was established in 1966 and is a bird sanctuary. The shores of the lake cater for wading species and the island in the middle provides a nesting site safe from foxes. The western side of the range is in the background. To give an idea of scale: the range is 2600 metres from here (give or take half an inch); the top of the range is at elevation 876m - about 250 metres above the level of the lake. Wind turbines are about 120 metres from base to top of blade... So turbines will protrude above the ridge about half as high again as the range.

And this is the view from the front yard of a home near the southern end end of the range. The owners moved here about twenty years ago because they liked the peace and quiet. Most of their neighbours are here for the same reason. If you look carefully the wind testing tower (estimated at about 66 metres high) can be seen on the skyline. A turbine, if installed in the same place, will be about 120 metres high and dominate their view.

Prevailing westerly winds creates lift off the slopes of The Range and para gliders and wedge-tailed eagles take advantage of it. In this photo taken above the north western end of The Range, Barry Oliver managed to capture both. Lake Springfield is the body of water in the lower left. The shot encapsulates the benign and appropriate activity for the area which landholders encourage.