Precedent legal documents from the commercial equity arrangement the Wellington Aboriginal community negotiated with AMPYR Australia for the Bulabul Battery project have been publicly shared, offering a template for First Nations equity participation in other projects.
In August 2025, the Wellington Aboriginal community's investment vehicle Wambal Bila Ltd secured the landmark agreement for an option to purchase a 5% equity stake in the Bulabul Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project to be located on Wiradjuri country in NSW. The agreement also includes potential for a similar equity stake in Stage 2 of the battery project.
The underlying equity stake includes a right to a preferred, fixed annual return and a share of ongoing equity returns, which could deliver $20-$30 million in revenue over the project's 20-year lifespan.
The Bulabul battery project represents Australia's first equity partnership between a developer and a local First Nations community without pre-existing native title rights or land rights, and no pre-existing economic base. It sets a new precedent of moving beyond compliance for long-term First Nations community ownership and partnership in renewable energy developments across Australia.
AMPYR Australia is providing up to $300,000 to help establish Wambal Bila's initial set-up operations, necessary as most First Nations groups are absent the capital needed to establish necessary investment vehicles for project co-ownership due to years of financial exclusion.
The partners believes their equity model for shared ownership sets a new benchmark for community participation in renewable energy projects. It also demonstrates the significance of innovative legal structuring to drive positive social and economic outcomes, which can be used by communities and clean energy proponents across the country.
To support other proponents and communities explore similar equity partnerships, Wambal Bila and AMPYR have agreed to share information about the partnership and key parts of the transaction documents to form a guide and precedent set, now published on the First Nations Clean Energy Network’s website.
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Front page photo: Keiyana Guihot, a director of Wambal Bila