News 
 Local News 
 News 
 General 
 Hepburn wind farm: local doctor speaks out 

Hepburn wind farm: local doctor speaks out

19 Aug, 2011 09:37 AM
A LOCAL doctor has spoken out publicly for the first time after treating patients for symptoms associated with living near wind turbines.

Dr Andja Mitric-Andjic, who practises in Daylesford, said she had treated at least two local patients for sleep deprivation, and spoken with others living near the Hepburn wind farm.

Dr Mitric-Andjic, who lives at Korweinguboora, said she, her husband and14-year-old son had also suffered sleep interruption since the turbines began operating.

Dr Mitric-Andjic said she decided to speak out because the problems being experienced by local residents could not be ignored.

“Wind farm, what do you mean wind farm?” she said.

“This is industrial. No one is against green energy. Everyone would say yes, of course, but put it out of residential areas.”

Dr Mitric-Andjic, 49, practises at Springs Medical Centre. She and her husband bought land on the Ballan-Daylesford Road seven years ago and built a house there last year.

She said patients had come to see her to complain about the noise from the two local turbines.

“They can’t sleep and in the morning they wake up exhausted. They can’t function. They have poor concentration, probably because of poor sleeping.”

Hepburn Wind chairman Simon Holmes a Court said any claims of adverse health effects would be taken “very seriously”.

“As a community organisation, we’re very concerned about the well-being of our community,” Mr Homes a Court said.

“If anyone is concerned that the turbines are harming them, we want to meet to understand their claims. Our project officer lives in Leonards Hill and is in frequent contact with the community around the wind farm.”

Turbine landholder Ron Liversidge said any claims of noise problems were “completely false”.

Mr Liversidge said he had been doing his own noise monitoring, by parking his car on the road and listening.

“Anybody can come and listen for themselves,” he said. “I don’t believe there’s any problems whatsoever.”

Print
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size

comments


Date: Newest first | Oldest first
come Hepburn Shire you gave the industrial development ridiculously low rates to pay and now don't honour you responsibility to monitor the noise here
Posted by nick, 19/08/2011 6:25:32 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
No, you are right Mr Liversidge, there is no noise whatsoever. A big "thanks" to the Landscape guardians for putting these false ideas into the heads of these poor simpletons who suffer from wind turbine "noise".
Posted by poppinj, 19/08/2011 6:25:44 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
where's the Mayor Rod May on this issue, good enough to spin lines on a turbine ad, what about noise
Posted by David, 19/08/2011 7:07:07 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
I wonder what time of day he parked his car along the road and listened?

I bet it wasnt at 2am when there is no other noise.

The wind developers used to tell us we wouldnt hear the turbines on windy days, completely false! and funnily enough that has now left their propaganda booklets.

Turbines do make noise and the noise from them appears to not be able to be properly projected in the noise studies done by the consultants the wind companies pay for.

This problem is popping up at so many windfarms something must be done wrong somewhere.

Posted by janet, 19/08/2011 8:21:05 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
Any organization, company or otherwise who installs windturbines near peoples house's is showing no respect whatsoever for the public.The evidence is clear that human health is effected and this behavior should not be tolerated.

There are plenty of areas that would not effect people if tubines must be built.Is this really a community windfarm or do many shareholders come from Melbourne and farther afield?

Posted by Bruce, 19/08/2011 8:32:23 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
Gonna head out on the weekend and measure the infrasound properly.

Ten bucks says its a lower level than Sturt St.

Doctors shouldn;t comment on engineering matters. They cause the placebo effect.

Posted by Sam, 19/08/2011 9:10:18 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
Sam - the doctor was commenting on patients and their health. Perhaps engineers shouldn't comment on medical matters...
Posted by wgulden, 19/08/2011 9:22:49 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
The advert is right people are talking about the wind farm that can be seen from the main street. I think most of the comments are detrimental, including thank goodness they're not in my backyard. I've got to aggree with them
Posted by 1984 aka 2011, 19/08/2011 9:27:58 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
And let's not forget they produce about as much electricity as a mouse running around wheel.
Posted by Alan, 19/08/2011 9:28:37 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
Good old psychosomatic disorders.
Posted by Christopher, 19/08/2011 9:38:23 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
1 | 2 | 3 | 4  |  next >

post a comment


Screen name  *
Email address  *
Remember me?
Comment  *
 
We invite and encourage our readers to post comments. Comments are moderated and will appear as soon as our editor has approved them. When posting comments you agree to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.
Related Coverage
ARTICLES

Most popular articles


Her Majesty's NIE
 
Loreto College NIE


The Courier







Weather brought to you by:

Weatherzone

Front Page

Current Issue
Privacy Policy | Conditions of Use | Advertising Terms | Copyright © 2012. Fairfax Media.
 SEND...
 SAVE...
 SHARE...