Welcome to our first North and Far North Queensland Transmission Update for 2026.

Powerlink is progressing state planning approval for our Kamerunga to Woree Replacement Project under the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process.

The formal consultation period for the project’s MID Assessment Report was held in late-2025 marking an important milestone for the project.

To support the consultation process, we held a series of community information drop-in sessions at locations along the project corridor to provide landholders, local residents, the wider community and other stakeholders an opportunity to meet with our project team.

A decision on the MID will be advised by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning after considering the submissions received during the consultation period.

Powerlink’s Kamerunga Substation and the transmission line between the Kamerunga and Woree substations are critical components of the transmission network that supplies power to northern Cairns.

Both the substation and transmission line are now nearing the end of their technical service life and must be replaced to ensure a safe, secure and reliable electricity supply into the future.

Learn more about the Kamerunga to Woree Replacement Project

Powerlink project team members at an information session along the project corridor

Transition update

Following the release of the Energy Roadmap, a new entity is being established by the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) to progress the development and delivery of the CopperString project.

Under this approach, the QIC-managed entity will develop, deliver, own, operate and maintain the assets.

Through the project ownership transition phase, Powerlink has been tasked with continuing to deliver activities on the project’s Eastern Link (Townsville to Hughenden), including securing easements, planning and environmental approvals and commencing preliminary works on the Flinders Substation.

QIC and Powerlink are committed to working collaboratively to support a smooth transition and are conscious of the need to keep stakeholders informed as things progress.

In the meantime, work will continue as planned on the range of design, development and early works activities already in progress.

To find out more visit powerlink.com.au/copperstring.

Project approvals update

The Gawara Baya Wind Farm Connection Project is progressing through the approvals phase.

The commonwealth environmental approvals for the project have now been completed.

Following a referral to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) and a consultation period, the project was deemed ‘not a controlled action’.

Powerlink is also seeking planning approval from the Queensland Government, under the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process. As there is currently an approved MID in place as part of the Genex Kidston Connection Project, Powerlink proposed a minor amendment to the existing MID to facilitate project delivery.

In January 2026, Powerlink lodged a MID minor amendment proposal with the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning.

The project includes:

• expanding the existing Guybal Munjan Switching Station footprint
• two 275kV single circuit transmission lines on six transmission poles
• access tracks.

The works will remain within the existing switching station land owned by Powerlink plus a small section of adjoining road reserve.

Windlab will deliver the Gawara Bay Wind Farm and associated transmission line project to connect to Powerlink’s Guybal Munjan Switching Station. For more information on the wind farm project, please visit gawarabaya.com.

To find out more, visit powerlink.com.au/projects/gawara-baya-wind-farm-connection-project.

Recent upgrades to our infrastructure in Far North Queensland are helping to safeguard communication cables in an area prone to extreme weather events.

The underground fibre optic cables running to the Barron Gorge Power Station had been damaged due to several significant weather events.

As part of our work on the transmission line between Kamerunga Substation and Barron Gorge Power Station, we replaced the earth wires with new optical ground wires (OPGW) that contain communication fibres.

Placing the OPGW at the top of our transmission towers will help to protect them from future flood and storm damage.

We recently finished a three-year program of refit works on 21 transmission towers along a 16 kilometre (km) stretch from Bayview Heights in Cairns to Davies Creek, east of Mareeba.

The 37 towers, some reaching 85 metres – the tallest in Powerlink’s network - are built above the rainforest canopy.

The refit activities included replacement of ageing electrical hardware and equipment, surface preparation and painting of towers, replacing tower signs and anti-climbing barriers, foundation strengthening works and upgrading tower earthing systems.

A new transformer was recently delivered to our Woree Substation in Cairns with teams across Powerlink working closely to plan and safely manage the complex operation.

Transported on a specialised seven-axel oversized vehicle, the transformer travelled around 1,600km along an approved route from the Port of Brisbane.

The four-day journey concluded with the unit safely positioned and stored at the Woree Substation.

Strategically located in Cairns, the transformer will serve as critical back-up equipment for North and Far North Queensland, strengthening network resilience across the region.

Transformers play a critical role in converting high voltage electricity from the transmission network into lower voltages for the local distribution network, supporting a reliable power supply for homes and businesses in the Cairns region.

Coordinated engagement, site preparation and communications in the lead up to delivery ensured traffic and community impacts were carefully managed, reflecting Powerlink’s commitment to ensuring a safe and reliable network for Far North Queenslanders.

Enhancing our underground cable easement in Cairns

After almost two years, essential works on sections of our underground transmission cables in Cairns have been completed and we have restored the easement with new amenities and compatible vegetation.

The works involved refurbishing buried cable joints, significant vegetation management and removing trees identified as being a high or future risk to the underground cables.

With the works being near residents in the Forest Gardens Estate and the well-used Crowley Creek walking path, we were committed to restoring the easement while maintaining required safety clearances.

In addition to planting around 24,000 grasses and shrubs, we worked with Cairns Regional Council and sought community feedback to help identify new amenities along the easement.

The new amenities were installed by local contractors Freedom Constructions, and include four water bubblers, nine park bench seats and one shade shelter.

We also recently held a pop-up engagement session in the Forest Gardens Estate to thank residents and the local community for their patience and cooperation during the delivery of our works.

Our project team enjoyed meeting with residents and valued the opportunity to hear their feedback about the new amenities and easement restoration planting works.

We have successfully delivered our second year of Powerlink’s Community Grants Program which supports initiatives and activities valued up to $5,000 in regional Queensland.

The 2025 Community Grants were open to community groups, clubs and not-for-profit organisations in Far North, North West and North Queensland Local Government Areas including Mt Isa, Cloncurry, Richmond, McKinlay, Flinders, Charters Towers, Townsville and Cairns.

Our goal is to support projects and activities aligning with resilience, safety, well-being, and economic outcomes that lead to positive impacts for groups and communities.

Our Community Relations Advisor Sharon recently met with a successful applicant, the Charters Towers Police Citizens Youth Club. The Club’s grant will be used to facilitate a ‘Watch this truck’ event as part of the “Braking the Cycle” program, a road safety initiative aimed at young and inexperienced drivers in Charters Towers.

Congratulations to all the grants recipients!

The 2026 Community Grants will open in mid-2026. Further information on eligibility and application timeframes will be available on our website closer to the date.