The Collgar Wind Farm can generate enough electricity each year to power the equivalent of around 130,000 Western Australian homes.
Rest, one of Australia’s largest profit-to-member superannuation funds, says recent agreements negotiated by its wholly owned Collgar Renewables business show the power of long-term active stewardship to guide the transformation of assets and unlock new value for members.
Collgar Renewables last month announced it had finalised a refinancing package for the Collgar Wind Farm in Western Australia with ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, Credit Agricole and HSBC.
The refinancing follows Collgar Renewables’ announcement in April of a long-term Power Purchase Agreement with Newmont Corporation through its subsidiary Newmont AP Power Pty Ltd. Under the agreement, Newmont will purchase 100% of Collgar Wind Farm’s electricity and green credits for its Boddington gold and copper mine from 2027 to 2042.
Rest Head of Private Markets and Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Simon Esposito, says these agreements will continue Collgar Renewables’ positive contribution to its members’ retirement savings by providing long-term financial security and generating a stable income stream.
“We have been invested in this project since it first generated electricity in 2011 and, in 2019, we took a 100% stake, becoming one of the first super funds to wholly own a wind farm in Australia,” says Mr Esposito.
“Collgar has been a consistently strong contributor within our portfolio in that time, generating real value and enhancing our members’ financial interests. As an active owner, we have overseen and supported the project’s growth and transformation into Collgar Renewables.
“These new agreements are the latest stage of this evolution. They allow our members to continue to enjoy the financial benefits of WA’s largest wind farm by capacity, as well as its contribution to the decarbonisation of the Australian economy.”
Mr Esposito says Rest’s experience as a direct owner of Collgar Renewables has given it valuable expertise in the renewable energy sector, helping the fund identify further investment opportunities in the sector.
“And as the asset has evolved, our role as an owner has evolved. We are interested in all the ways Collgar makes a return,” says Mr Esposito.
“Most of our members will not retire for many decades – around 1.5 million of our members are likely to retire in a post-2050 world. We think deeply about the world they’ll retire into.
“Active ownership, such as the approach we take with Collgar, gives us real ability to influence more sustainable outcomes in support of our members’ financial interests.”
About Rest
Established in 1988, Rest is one of Australia’s largest profit-to-member superannuation funds, with more than 2 million members and around $100 billion in funds under management as at 31 July 2025.
About Collgar Wind Farm
The Collgar Wind Farm is the largest wind farm by capacity in Western Australia, located near the town of Merredin in the state’s Wheatbelt region.
The wind farm has turbines located across 18,000 hectares, with a total power production capacity of 222 megawatts. It can generate enough electricity each year to power the equivalent of around 130,000 Western Australian homes.
For more information, please visit our media centre or contact:
Michael Mills
Senior Manager, Communications – Media Relations
michael.mills@rest.com.au
m: 0428 499 722
Emma Kerswell
Senior Manager, Communications - Consumer & Content
emma.kerswell@rest.com.au
m: 0411 794 206
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