Hundreds of people have turned out to oppose a proposed AI data centre near Tungkillo, despite the developer postponing its planned community consultation meetings.
Hundreds of people gathered in Mannum on Saturday 31 October for a community-organised rally, after Quantum DC cancelled the consultation session and another in Tungkillo on Thursday due to a ‘credible’ bomb threat.
The Saturday event attracted support from across the political spectrum, with representatives from the Liberals, Greens and One Nation attending.
Greens leader Rob Simms and One Nation MLC Carlos Quaremba from the South Coast both addressed the crowd, highlighting the potential for the parties to work together on the issue.
Residents have raised concerns about the proposed facility’s potential impact on water supplies, agricultural land, noise and light pollution, as well as the scale of the development.
The proposal involves a 1,200-megawatt hyperscale data centre and associated energy infrastructure across 120 hectares on Collins Road.
The developer says around 80 per cent of the facility’s electricity needs would be met through connections to existing power lines, alongside renewable energy contracts. An on-site gas-fired power station would provide additional firming capacity.
Quantum DC has also said the facility would use captured and recirculated rainwater, rather than drawing on the River Murray or existing groundwater reserves.
Planning Minister Nick Champion says any future development application would need to undergo a rigorous assessment, including meeting requirements around power and water.
No formal development application has been lodged.
New community meetings scheduled for November
Quantum DC says it has rescheduled its consultation sessions to Friday, the 20th of November and Saturday, the 21st of November, after postponing the original meetings over safety concerns.
The developer says it wants to hear community feedback before lodging a development application, and that the feedback will help inform the proposal.
Community organisers have made it clear they intend to continue campaigning against the project, with residents saying they will pursue all available legal avenues.
The proposal’s first stage is expected to commence in 2028, if it progresses through the planning process.
