SURFERS and concerned community members turned out en masse on Sunday at One Mile Beach for a paddle out in protest of proposed offshore wind farms off the Port Stephens coast.

Originally planned for Birubi, the event was moved to One Mile due to weather and swell conditions.

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The paddle out was conducted simultaneously with an event in the Illawarra, where another offshore wind energy zone has been proposed.

Rhys Westbury, a leader of the ‘No Coastal Wind Farms Port Stephens’ movement, helped organise the day.
“Today was an unprecedented marker of history for our area.

“It was a visual display of an oceanside community coming together in a shared stance against offshore wind development in our region.

“We gathered as a group of 400 on the beach and 120 in the water to symbolise our relationship to this unmatched pearl of the world.

“We want to save Port Stephens.”

Mr Westbury said the feeling on the ground was that the Federal Government was beginning to hear the concerns of locals on the project.

“The groundswell is growing.

“They are listening to us getting louder – we’re an ocean’s roar speaking for the sea creatures who cannot speak for themselves.”