Proposed 725-hectare Anthropic AI datacenter in rural Queensland faces local opposition

Proposed AI Datacenter in Rural Queensland

Singapore-based developer Zerra DC has proposed a $31 billion datacenter project in rural Queensland, near Kogan, outside Dalby. This facility, intended to power Anthropic's large language model Claude, would be Australia's largest, spanning 725 hectares.

The project site is currently a 24,000-head feedlot, surrounded by existing gas wells. The developer claims its cooling system will be less water-intensive than typical datacenters, with water demand comparable to an average shopping center.

Significant Energy Requirements

The Western Downs datacenter would require a peak power capacity of 2.16GW, which is approximately a quarter of Queensland's total state energy demand. The project is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and about 1,400 long-term positions.

Community Opposition and Concerns

Local residents, many of whom have experienced the boom-bust cycles of previous resource projects like coal seam gas, have voiced strong opposition to the datacenter. Concerns include the enormous energy demand, potential noise pollution, and the project's siting.

A petition launched by local travel agent Mordechai Winters has garnered over 21,500 signatures, primarily from the affected area. Opponents believe the project's benefits are overstated and fear it will replicate the negative economic and social impacts seen with past industrial developments.

Parallels to US Datacenter Backlash

The local backlash in Queensland mirrors similar opposition to datacenters in the United States, where issues like energy consumption and noise have led to widespread public disapproval. Over 500 counties in the US have imposed bans on datacenter developments due to these concerns.