Planning Minister Richard Wynne rejects Bendigo council bid to compulsorily acquire Marong farm

A FAMILY from Marong, near Bendigo, is celebrating today after fighting off a council land grab in a saga reminiscent of The Castle. Read their story.

A FARMING family near Bendigo has successfully fought off compulsory land acquisition in a 16 year-long saga reminiscent of The Castle.

Bendigo Council had eyed the Carter family’s sprawling farm at Marong, near Bendigo, as a possible site for a new business park.

It controversially voted in April to forcibly buy 311 hectares of the farm after the Carters knocked back an offer of more than $4 million.

FAMILY TO FIGHT FOR LAND

WHO OWNS THIS MELBOURNE BLOCK OF LAND?

But Planning Minister Richard Wynne this week rejected the planning scheme amendment needed to compulsorily acquire the land.

Tamrie Carter said the family was able to “breathe a sigh of relief” after Mr Wynne called to break the news on Tuesday night.

“We were hopeful but we really weren’t sure what the Planning Minister was thinking,” she said.

“It has been weighing on our minds for a very long time, the saga has been going on for 16 years.

“If we were to lose that parcel of land, it would make our farming business unviable.

“It is also part of our family history — we have been farming here for close to 100 years and we have future generations to think of.”

Max Carter has refused to sell the land. Picture: Dale Webster

The Carter family was buoyed by strong community support with 12,000 signatures on a petition opposing the acquisition.

About a 100 protesters also converged on the controversial Greater Bendigo Council meeting in April where councillors voted 6-2 to forcibly buy the land.

Ms Carter today laughed at comparisons between her family’s plight and that of the Kerrigans in The Castle.

“We can see the humour in it now that we have had a similar outcome to that in The Castle,” Ms Carter said.

“It helps people understand what we have been through with the heartache and turmoil it has caused.”

The Kerrigan family, depicted in The Castle. Picture: Supplied

The Carter family. Picture: Dale Webster

Asked whether the family now felt a sense of serenity, Ms Carter replied: “I guess you could say that.”

Mr Wynne said that the proposed compulsory acquisition was “well intentioned but ignored the strongly held views of the land owners”.

“(It) was not justified in the circumstances,” he said.

“In the absence of any agreement between the parties, the rejection of compulsory acquisition is the right outcome here.”

Mr Wynne’s rejection came after rezoned the land, “giving the green light to the Marong Business Park”, last year.

“The Labor Government has got the planning right,” the government said at the time.

The Carters say they couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Picture: Dale Webster

Bendigo Mayor Margaret O’Rourke said Mr Wynne’s decision was “extremely disappointing” and risked jobs, particularly in advanced manufacturing.

“The lack of suitable industrial land remains a serious and pressing issue for Greater Bendigo; without it we risk losing not just future but existing jobs for our growing population,” she said.

“Other sites were rigorously reviewed and assessed for suitability for a business park and

none were as strategically located as the Marong site.

“Council made a generous offer to the landowners based on its current zoning which

increased the land value significantly.”

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