Councillor Heather Champion - Wingecarribee

12/06/2026

⚠️Gas plant/data centre update!⚠️
What happened after our protest and what you can do next 👇🏻

A 673 MW gas plant has been proposed between Moss Vale, Burradoo and New Berrima. Join the Highlands coalition — write to your MP and add your name.

07/06/2026

Spotted just today!

Did you know Wingecarribee Council is developing a new Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management?

The Southern Highlands is one of the most important koala landscapes in New South Wales. We have two recognised population strongholds that remain critical to the future survival of the species in this state.

Across NSW, koalas continue to face mounting pressures from habitat loss, fragmentation, road strike, climate impacts, disease and increasing development pressure. Once habitat is lost or corridors are severed, it can take generations to restore. Without intervention, koalas are on track to be functionally extinct by 2050. 💔

So we have a really important job to do.

A Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management is a strategic framework to ensure that future planning decisions properly recognise, protect and connect the habitats that koalas depend upon to survive.

This work builds on more than a decade of partnership, research and restoration already undertaken through the Southern Highlands Koala Conservation Project. It reflects years of scientific mapping, community effort and collaboration with the NSW Government.

Our koala populations are still here. That is increasingly rare and unbelievably precious.

With funding from the state government under the NSW Koala Strategy, we are engaging a specialist to make a locally tailored planning and conservation framework.

This plan is about ensuring that koalas remain part of the Wingecarribee landscape for generations to come. 🐨💚

29/05/2026

Our fight to stop this massive gas-fired power plant is making national headlines.

Because the implications are that serious.

It's an energy vampire: By 2035, this one single gas plant could increase NSW's electricity emissions by 25% (according to The Climate Council modelling).

It's so hungry, it would consume 3x the gas of the state's current biggest gas consumer.

It's potentially catastrophic for net zero: it would single-handedly wipe out NSW's projected 2028 emissions cuts.

Join us to fight it. Follow Stop the Gas Plant - Southern Highlands, NSW.

Thanks to The Saturday Paper for sounding the alarm. 🚨 Link in comments.

27/05/2026

Did you see a flyer turn up in your letter box? 📜
Our campaign to Stop the Gas Plant - Southern Highlands, NSW went analogue to make sure we reached as many people as possible. Thanks to the army of foot soldiers who made it possible!

Not everyone is on socials! Not everyone sees the posts. So we hit the streets :)

This is one of our volunteers doing letterbox drops across Moss Vale, Burradoo and New Berrima, making sure residents know what’s being proposed on their doorstep, and that they have a say.

We’re a group of local residents who’ve come together to oppose a proposed industrial gas plant at 30 Douglas Road, Moss Vale. It would be one of the largest in NSW — built solely to power a private data centre, with no benefit to the local community.

A huge thank you to the Southern Highlands Greens, who funded the printing of these pamphlets and helped drive attendance of over 170 people to the Land and Environment Court hearing on 22 May. That turnout doesn’t happen without people showing up — on foot, in the rain, and through their letterboxes.

Want to get involved or stay informed?
📋 www.stopthegasplant.com

NSW

26/05/2026

ABC NEWS: Our protest on Friday had more than 200 people show up in the rain and cold. We sent a message loud and clear.

We do not want NSW's second largest gas-fired power plant within walking distance of our homes and towns.

We are worried about the health impacts, the carbon emissions, and locking in heavy industry in the highlands.

This is a private gas plant designed to solely serve private data centre. It would make profits for a Sydney company, and leave the Highlands to bear the burden.

Link in the comments! 👇🏻

23/05/2026

I was up on the Gib today with my family, walking in the bush. I wondered - would the Gas Plant be visible from here?

We stopped at Bowral lookout and found 30 Douglas Rd.

You can see the site clearly: it's the yellow dot 🟡

But right now it's green fields, not 23.5m high exhaust stacks.

22/05/2026

Thank you ABC Illawarra for sharing our fight against the Moss Vale Gas Plant!

22/05/2026

WIN NEWS: "Someone's going to be making a lot of money out of it - But the community suffers."

Hundreds of locals showed up to an on-site Land and Environment Court session today to demonstrate our opposition to the massive data campus to be powered by NSW's second-largest gas plant. 🚫

Thanks WIN for sharing this information and showing the world what our community is fighting!

*NB when I speak I am sharing my own views, not those of Council. I attended this event to support the community group Stop the Gas Plant - Southern Highlands, NSW, not as a representative of council.

22/05/2026

What an amazing turnout this morning to stop the gas plant! So grateful to our passionate community who want to save the Highlands for our future 💚💪🏻

21/05/2026

Help Stop the Gas Plant - 10AM TOMORROW!
🚫🙅🏻‍♀️🚨

Tomorrow morning the Land and Environment Court will hold a conciliation meeting in Moss Vale, where developers plan to build a massive gas-fired power plant to serve a private data centre.

This is plan is outrageous.

Be there at 10am to send a message to the Commissioner: we don’t want any this development to be approved, including this small early component.

Say NO to the Gas Plant:
📍30 Douglas Rd 🗓 FRI 22 May ⏰ 10am

What’s happening tomorrow?
We’re gathering to attend a court conciliation meeting.
A small, early DA component of the proposal is being assessed by the Land and Environment Court after being deemed refused by Wingecarribee Shire Council.
The meeting we’re attending is about this DA. If we stop this foot-in-the-door proposal now, we can help stop the huge expansion (a State Significant Development) from happening later.
Our goal is to send a message to the Commissioner: we don’t want this small part of the proposal, or any of it.

What do I need to do?
This is a court proceeding, so it’s absolutely vital that we show respect to the Commissioner, the legal teams and the community speakers.
We are not there to speak. Please leave placards at home and be as calm, respectful and courteous as possible. Our attendance is the message.
Oh, and rug up. It’s going to be cold. 🧣

I’m so amazed by the community response to this already. THANK YOU!

✋Show up.
👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏽 Bring a friend.
✅ See you there!