AI firm Sharon AI buys former Ettamogah paper mill, sparking health and environmental worries

Australian-owned AI infrastructure provider Sharon AI announced it has bought the former Visy paper-mill site at Ettamogah, north of Albury, without revealing what will be built there. The company framed the purchase as a chance to convert an underused brownfield into a venture that benefits the local community and pledged future community consultation. Nearby residents, such as Katie Lucantonio, voiced concerns about health impacts, the wellbeing of native flora and fauna, and the lack of early engagement.

NSW Liberal MP Justin Clancy emphasized the need to balance growing national AI capability with questions about energy, water consumption and local amenity, while Albury Mayor Kevin Mack said any development would be subject to normal planning assessment. The NSW government recently introduced fast-track guidelines for data-centre projects that meet efficiency and consumer-cost criteria, with related legislation due for debate later this year. Experts note that data centres already consume about 3 % of Australia’s electricity, a figure expected to rise to 13 % by 2035, heightening community concerns.