Finer detail delayed

LODDON landholders will wait another month before the VNI West route is refined.

Transmission Company Victoria’s Nicola Falcon said on Monday that the original July release of the 1km wide corridor of land was “now more likely” to be published at the end of August.

Ms Falcon’s update came as scores of local landowners and farmers attended the first of five community engagement sessions along the VNI West corridor in Boort.

And new maps at the session by engineering and environment consultant AECOM recommended a buffer zone around Boort and other towns on the route.

Ms Falcon was one of an estimated 20 representatives from TCV, the company formed by Australian Energy Market Operator to oversee the renewable energy transmission project between Bulgana and Kerang, and the Victorian Government’s Vicgrid at Monday’s session.

She said representatives were being accommodated in a central location for all five sessions but did confirm they would not be staying in Boort.

The session format was criticised by several landholders, surprised that notes were not being taken of their feedback to the proposed route and identified land of interest for the 750 kiloVolt transmission line currently up to 50km wide.

On Tuesday, AEMO said new maps on display at the sessions identified significant features that would influence the location of the transmission lines “as well as outlining the area that should be avoided, wherever possible”.

Ms Falcon said: “This report highlights the challenge of charting a route for the project through a rural landscape featuring Aboriginal heritage sites, flood plains, environmentally sensitive areas and intensive agriculture,” Ms Falcon said.

People attending Monday’s session were handed an information pack and had their names recorded after passing a security guard outside Boort Memorial Hall.

The pack included a booklet expanding on last week’s announcement offering farmers $10,000 if they granted TCV survey access rights to their land.

The announcement had said TCV would also pay legal fees of landholders, however, that will be limited to $1100, according to the document.