Northern Victorian crops have enjoyed improved winter rain, but some cropland in the region has been earmarked for future renewable energy projects.
Photo by
Geoff Adams
VicGrid has ditched irrigated farmland in Campaspe Shire for dry cropland in the Shepparton and Benalla areas as it released a revised draft of its Victorian Renewable Energy Zones.
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The new draft was released on Sunday, August 17 following community consultation across the Campaspe region.
The changes reduced its Campaspe impact significantly, however added a new section near Benalla, which includes several existing solar farms including the Goorambat East Solar Farm, Victoria’s largest.
The original draft (yellow) and the new draft (blue) VicGrid central-north Renewable Energy Zone.
Campaspe Shire Council, which previously lodged a submission against the plan, welcomed the reduction for the central-north zone.
Mayor Daniel Mackrell said there were still concerns over the authority council had regarding the location and approval of renewable projects within the shire.
“Campaspe Shire Council welcomes the reduction in the proposed Renewable Energy Zone within our municipality, acknowledging that it reflects concerns raised about agricultural and environmental values,” Cr Mackrell said.
“While we support renewable energy in principle, it must be appropriately located to safeguard our vital agricultural sector.
“We continue to advocate for transparent, case-by-case assessments.”
Greater Shepparton is also now on the table, with Dookie and Cosgrove now included in the central-north REZ, which Greater Shepparton City councillor for Pine Lodge Ward Geoff Akers said “blindsided” farmers.
“Our land has been dragged into the Victorian Transmission Plan without warning, without consultation and without consent,” Cr Akers said.
“It is unreasonable to put our prime agricultural land at risk.
“Our region is home to the most productive, high-yielding cropping country in Victoria.
“Shepparton East and Dookie should never have been added to this plan. Our farmland is too valuable, our economy too dependent on agriculture, and our communities too important to be treated as expendable.”
Benalla Rural City Council chief executive officer Peter Keane said VicGrid had been in contact with the council.
“With the newly released plan VicGrid have commenced engagement directly with Benalla Rural City Council and the community. I would expect this to continue,” Mr Keane said.
“As part of the community consultation phase, council will provide feedback upon fully understanding the impacts of the introduction of a Renewable Energy Zone across the Benalla Rural City LGA boundaries.”
Meanwhile, the latest renewable energy zones have left most of the Nanneella wind farm project out of the zone.
Fera Australia is planning to build the project on two sites, one near Nanneella and one near Rushworth.
About 12 months ago, the company told a community meeting it was planning to build up to 25 turbines on each of the two sites.
The company did not respond to questions about the project’s future, now that the energy zones have been redrawn.
VicGrid chief executive officer Alistair Parker said the REZ were created with agricultural land in mind.
“We’re working hard to minimise impacts on agriculture, the environment and landholders, and share benefits more fairly, while also keeping costs down for all energy consumers,” he said.
“The plan is the result of 18 months of consultation, and communities in the proposed renewable energy zones will have another chance to have their say soon as part of the process to formally declare zones.”
The VFF said it was disappointed in the lack of consultation.
“Farmers can work with change. But we won’t cop being treated as second-class citizens on our own land,” VFF president Brett Hosking said.
“If the government wants to get this transition done, it needs to put communities at the centre, not at the end of the queue.”
Two of the other five zones had no change, and one other REZ, the south-west zone also had another section added. The other zones had minimal changes.
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