General News
20 June, 2023
Farmers create northern information hub
LANDOWNERS suddenly caught in the proposed VNI West paths have formed a community hub to share information on AEMO’s plans. Canary Island farmer Jo Bear said the hub would also support farmers in the district. The hub’s creation follows...
LANDOWNERS suddenly caught in the proposed VNI West paths have formed a community hub to share information on AEMO’s plans.
Canary Island farmer Jo Bear said the hub would also support farmers in the district.
The hub’s creation follows a meeting in Canary Island last week with landowners coming from Boort, Pyramid Hill and Macorna.
“Community members were encouraged to regularly connect and support each other,” Jo said.
“We will continue to be accurately informed about AEMO and to complete submissions via the online VIN Interactive map.
“And we will be asking people to look after their own health and wellbeing and that of their families and neighbours during this time of uncertainty especially as the community is still recovering from the floods and to campaign heavily to both our state and federal parliament members about the outdated technology of these transmission towers.
Jo said the meeting was well attended. “With the sudden switch to the new route and many heads still spinning, the local community wanted to obtain reliable and up to date information,” she said.
“There were questions about why the towers need to be built, what does this mean for me and my community, what do I do if AEMO comes to my farm.”
She said there were powerful and succinct presentations from the Regional Victoria Power Alliance and the Victorian Farmers’ Federation taskforce.
“We were very grateful that so much work, information and research has been achieved over the past three years by some amazing, hard working and committed people involved with the alliance.
“Information that now can be utilised by the local Canary Island community and assist them in how to address the possibility of towers being built on farming land,” Jo said.
Identified land of interest is currently up to 50km wide. However, AEMO says this will be reduced to several hundred metres within weeks.