MANY landholders leaving last week's first community engagement session in Boort were disgruntled with the format and unconvinced their concerns were heard.
“They are not interested in what we do ... they’ve already made up their minds,” said Lake Marmal farmer Geoff McClelland.
“They told us very little and the compensation they are offering wouldn’t even buy a tractor wheel.
“They tell us we can continue our farming but then there are limits of aerial spraying, burning ... what we can do daily on most agricultural properties.”
Russell Amery said the compensation package was not ongoing and paled when put beside the pay rises for public servants.
“They just don’t understand where food comes from,” he said.
Leigh Parry said the proposed route was through some of the region’s most intensive farming areas.
He and wife Helen were critical of the timing of consultation, coming when “it’s been more important to get crops in”. Al Knight described Monday’s session as a tick-a-box event that didn’t pass the pub test.
“We have had fires and flood and now this, it’s a dagger in the heart,” he said.
Robert Coutts said: “They spent 10 minutes trying to reassure me that everything will be okay. Guess it’s watch this space.”
Some farmers in the Boort district first saw their land in the preferred route when Option 5A was released in May, extending the area both north and south of town.