Agriculture
3 March, 2026
VicGrid’s court threat on land access
VICGRID has threatened to take out court orders to access 27 farms on the route of its controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line.
Monday’s threat came hours after more than 100 farmers rallied at Marnoo against Northern Grampians being part of a State Government renewable energy zone.
Organiser Ben Duxson said the REZ proposal raised serious concerns for farmers and rural communities that depend on secure access to productive land and water.
“A central objection is the permanent loss of high-quality agricultural land to large-scale wind and solar projects, transmission towers, cobwebs of overhead powerlines, battery storage, and related infrastructure.
“Once developed, this land is effectively removed from food production.”
Vic Grid said it wanted to enter the 27 farms for necessary environmental surveys.
It has started issuing access notifications under the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic) to a small group of landholders and occupiers – where voluntary access for critical ecology surveys has not been agreed. “Landholders with properties identified in the VNI West preferred easement have participated in survey access discussions since 2023,” the State Government authority said. “Owners of 170 properties in the broader project region have agreed to access, enabling more than 300 private property surveys to date.”
Chief Executive Alistair Parker said this latest step came after “extensive attempts to reach voluntary agreement and included clear notice requirements and obligations around safety, respectful conduct and biosecurity and said the “strong preference is always to reach voluntary agreements with landholders, because that gives them more say over when and how access happens — including timing, access points and biosecurity.”
“Where access hasn’t been possible despite repeated efforts, we now need to move to the next step available under the legislation so we can complete the environmental surveys required to design this project responsibly.”
VicGrid said farmers refusing or hindering access could also be fined $800.
Farmers at opposite ends of the route from Stawell to Kerang have staged farmgate “no access” protests when VicGrid has arrived to do assessments.
At Dingwall last November, Colin Fenton was supported by neighbours on the first of three successive days of visits.
Mr Fenton said: “I told them to put the brakes on Australia wide (with renewable energy projects).
“People are wound up and opposition is gaining legs. This will end in tears and it won’t be the farmers who are crying,” Mr Fenton told the Loddon Herald after refusing access to VicGrid representatives.