Offshore wind turbines dot the horizon and ruin the coastal landscape.
Fact:
While onshore wind farms do have a visual impact on the landscape, the same cannot be said for their offshore counterparts. Most offshore turbines are so far out to sea that they cannot be seen with the naked eye from the coastline, even when the viewing platform has some elevation. This is certainly the case with the wind farm proposed for the Illawarra region in New South Wales. It is 20 kilometres offshore, which is four times the distance to the horizon. From that far out, the turbines would be completely hidden from view. Even from the top of the Illawarra escarpment they would be difficult to spot.
The wind turbines proposed for the Hunter region in NSW and Gippsland in Victoria will also be difficult or impossible to see, as they will be located between 10 and 35 kilometres out to sea.
So, if people really are concerned about the visual impact of wind turbines, they should be supporting the offshore variety, as these are largely hidden by the curve of the Earth.
Offshore wind turbines [Source: Public Domain Pictures]