With works having commenced at the Goorambat East Solar Farm, wildlife carers in Benalla have raised concerns.
Energy company Engie, which is responsible for the project, said it had cleared a total of 126 trees across the 630-hectare site, with no further trees to be removed.
But Benalla Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation carer Kristy Kilpatrick said the damage had already been done.
She said about 100 animals had been displaced, a number Engie disputed.
“It never should have been done during peak breeding season,” she said.
“A lot of those (animals) coming in were overheated, stressed, some of them very underweight.”
Ms Kilpatrick and two other wildlife carers in Benalla have been sharing the load, with them all looking after animals that have come into their care.
“The majority of the birds were so young they hadn’t got any feathers yet,” she said.
“Others are still at an age where they are still dependent on their parents for food and are weeks away from being able to fly.”
Ms Kilpatrick said animals starting coming into their care in mid-October, saying a zoologist employed at the site was dropping the animals off to the other two carers.
The animals were then distributed between the three of them.
“On the 21st I ended up receiving three baby galahs, three welcome swallows, and on that day there was also a ringtail possum and multiple starling chicks,” she said.
“The 22nd we had four baby parrots and starlings, I believe, came in that day.
“The 24th, we had six baby red-rumped parrots, one of which died before I even got around to picking them up.
“Then the 25th we had three more welcome swallows. The following week, two pardalotes and more rosella chicks.”
In response, an Engie spokesperson said 60 birds and animals were found during tree felling, and they were carefully handled by project zoologists who delivered them to local wildlife carers.
“The required tree felling was done using a ‘slow fall’ method that was developed with ecologists and arborists, and ensured any birds or animals in the trees were unharmed and could be cared for before being released,” an Engie spokesperson said.
“We are thankful to local wildlife handlers for the role they’ve played in caring for these birds and animals, and for accepting our support of supplies including nest boxes, bird seed and feeding systems.”
The 250MW Goorambat East Solar Farm was approved in December 2019 by Benalla Rural City Council.
In October 2024, Victorian Climate Action, Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio joined Engie for a sod-turning ceremony to announce the beginning of construction.
Council and Ms D’Ambrosio were both contacted for comment.
“Benalla Rural City Council has contacted the developer and are working through a number of planning permit conditions. As this process is ongoing, no further comment can be made at this time,” council said.
The minister did not respond.