AusNet Services chooses final corridor for proposed western Victoria powerline project

After Western Victorian residents slammed a plan to build monster power lines through their land, AusNet has taken a big step forward.

A final corridor has been chosen for a controversial plan to bring renewable energy to Melbourne via 190km of powerlines through farming country.

Energy infrastructure giant AusNet Services said it had consulted farmers, communities and landholders on the corridor for the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project.

It’s estimated the project will cost over $500m and feature up to 380 towers between Bulgana in the state’s west to Sydenham on Melbourne’s outskirts.

Executive project director Stephanie McGregor said the new transmission line was urgently

needed, and would create more than 300 jobs during construction while providing economic

benefits to communities along the route.

“This project will support Victoria’s transition to a cleaner energy future by unlocking critical

renewable energy projects in the region,” she said.

“We will continue to consult over the corridor announced (on Friday) and the right placement for the proposed transmission line within that corridor.”

Local farmer and engineer Will Elsworth is protesting against the AusNet project. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Anti-powerline outfits like the Western Victoria Economic and Culture Group have been campaigning solidly against the project, claiming it threatens amenity and the livelihood of farmers and other businesses in its path.

Former federal MP and footy identity Phil Cleary has joined the fight against the project.

Mr Cleary’s Irish ancestors settled around Mt Prospect, north of Ballarat, in the 19th century, near the site of a proposed terminal station that’s part of AusNet’s project.

“It’s spiritual land for me because my people settled there,” he said.

“If you’ve got to put in a substation and powerlines, why would you put it there, which is near tourism towns like Daylesford and Creswick.”

“They can go underground, they should put the substation somewhere else in an industrial zone.”

Mr Cleary said farming and tourism were under threat, and authorities should not be supporting such schemes.

“Governments are coming out and saying we’ve got to support regional areas,” he said.

“So if you want people to travel to regional areas and you want to rebuild towns you’ve got to have policies for that.”

But Ms McGregor said AusNet had experience working with businesses, farmers and communities under its network of 6500km of existing transmission lines.

“Nobody knows the land like the landholders themselves. We will work with them to ensure

agriculture and other land use can continue along the line with minimal disruption,” she said.

AusNet claims the corridor considers the location of private residences, the surrounding

landscape, the environment, cultural significance and the agricultural use of land.

Western Victoria now hosts about 4000MW of renewable energy generation such as wind and solar, while the project could unlock potential for a further 900MW.

www.westvictnp.com.au