Government has officially scrapped the Pioneer Burdekin Pumped Hydro scheme in North Queensland, but residents west of McKay fear the LNP’s plans will still see the rainforest region at risk
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00:00It was slated to be the largest renewable project of its kind in the world, but a change
00:08of Queensland government has uprooted plans for the Pioneer Burdekin pumped hydro scheme
00:14west of Mackay.
00:15Gone.
00:16Labor's hydro hoax gone-ski.
00:19We don't for a minute think that now that this project has been canned that they'll
00:25leave us alone.
00:27The renewable storage project was key to Queensland Labor's $62 billion plan to get the state
00:33to net zero by 2050.
00:36Now Queensland Hydro says it's ceasing all non-essential works while it waits for directions
00:41from the new government.
00:43But there are also others in limbo.
00:46Michael Seymour is a farmer whose Netherdale property was acquired by Queensland Hydro
00:50in April.
00:51Now with the dam the way it is and the coalition getting in, it's a question mark on what
00:56happens now.
00:57The Pioneer Valley was chosen after a statewide assessment that dwindled seven sites to two.
01:03Some locals say they fear the Christopher Lee government's plan to build five or six
01:08smaller pumped hydro projects could still see the Pioneer Valley in the firing line.
01:13We feel like we've slayed one dragon, but we feel like there are many more dragons waiting.
01:20Queensland's peak body for environmental groups is calling on the new government to release
01:24the locations of the sites.
01:27We have less information about these five to six proposed new projects.
01:31They could have even greater impact on the environment.
01:33For the locals who fought to save the region, it is unclear what happens next.