Gamuda And Tasmania’s 200-Year-Old Family Forge 1.2 GW Clean Energy Dynasty

Ambition has found a new home in Tasmania’s heartland. A massive 1.2 gigawatt renewable energy portfolio is taking shape across Central Tasmania‘s rolling hills, bringing together unlikely partners in the clean energy transformation. Gamuda Holdings Pty Ltd, the Australian arm of Malaysian infrastructure giant Gamuda Berhad, has joined forces with the Downie family and other local landowners to create something unprecedented. Not your average corporate takeover, that’s for sure.

The Downies aren’t newcomers. They’ve managed their pastoral lands for over 200 years. Now they’re pivoting to power. Smart move. The partnership targets 600 MW of renewable generation through wind and solar projects, with another 600 MW of battery storage to keep things steady when the sun hides and winds calm. The Weasel Solar Farm and Cellars Hill Wind Farm are just the beginning.

Local communities won’t just be spectators. Houses within 12 kilometers will receive energy rebates. Cash back for putting up with construction noise and new views? Seems fair. Jobs are coming too—during construction and after. The rural economy needed a boost anyway.

Community benefits spread wider than turbine blades, with rebates and jobs energizing Tasmania’s rural backbone.

What makes this different is who’s calling shots. The landowners aren’t just leasing their fields; they’re co-developers with real skin in the game. Alternate Path has provided crucial development support as a key collaborator in planning these groundbreaking projects. Gamuda gets equity and exclusive EPC rights. The Downies get a say in how their ancestral lands transform.

Environmental concerns aren’t being ignored. Projects are designed to work alongside existing agriculture. Sheep can still graze between solar panels. Birds will have to navigate turbines, but impact assessments are part of the deal.

For Gamuda, it’s a strategic expansion into Australia’s renewable sector. They’re targeting “shovel ready” projects for quick deployment. Construction timelines show the Weasel Solar Farm is set to break ground first in 2027, with Cellars Hill Wind Farm following in 2028. This follows the global trend where solar power accounted for 75% of new renewable installations in 2023. The Thai connection requires Foreign Investment Review Board approval—bureaucracy never sleeps.

This partnership might just set the template for future renewable developments nationwide. Big energy ambitions meeting deeply-rooted local knowledge. Tasmania’s clean energy dynasty has arrived.