General News
16 October, 2024
New community association formed
More than 70 people attended a community meeting on September 30 at Brim Hall to address the lack of factual information available about the proposed construction of the Warracknabeal and Wilkur energy parks and associated transmission lines.
Topics discussed included the acute fire danger that the energy parks would cause (especially the battery facilities) and what it would mean for residents, farmers and stock welfare if they needed to be evacuated from their properties.
The issue of availability and cost of insurance for landowners and neighbours of the energy parks, and whether there may need to be compulsory acquisition of land for transmission lines, were also discussed.
Attendees expressed concern over the turbines interrupting the radar signals which are important to accurate weather reporting and the removal of the right of appeal of any private development on a landholder's own land within the 1km buffer zones of the energy parks.
Community members unanimously voted to form an incorporated association called Wimmera Mallee Agricultural and Environmental Protection Association.
They elected officer bearers and will hold their next meeting on October 28 in Brim.
- CONTRIBUTED