The Port of Whyalla is a privately owned port run by SIMEC and usually used to handle bulk cargoes for the nearby Whyalla Steelworks and iron ore mines. The wind turbines for Lincoln Gap 1 were the first to be brought through the port and it was a sight to witness 68m blades weaving their way through the network of conveyor belts, railway tracks and other infrastructure.

At 140 tonnes, the nacelle for the Lincoln Gap Wind Farm is as heavy as wind cargo gets. Throw in a 20% gradient climb from the Eyre Highway up to the wind farm and it becomes a real challenge!  The heavy duty equipment was called in for this job – a sturdy 12-axle, 96-wheel platform trailer, a 40-ton Moxy dump truck as the pull truck and another prime mover to push.

The close proximity of the Port of Whyalla to the wind farm site made the transport route quite straightforward – once clear of the town of Whyalla, components took the Lincoln Highway up to the Eyre Highway and then turned into the wind farm. The trickiest sections were at the start and end – navigating out of the port area, with its rail crossings and sharp turns, and then climbing the steep escarpment up to site from the Eyre Hwy. 

With three projects being delivered for Senvion simultaneously, Ares had to call upon our network of ever reliable subcontractors to assist with some of the loads. We are fortunate to have great relationships with quality suppliers such as James Contract Supplies (JCS) and CBCH, who provided equipment, manpower and knowhow to supplement the Ares kit and crew on the project.