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St. Arnaud, Charlton, Wedderburn & Surrounding Districts
Est. 1864
18 Napier Street, St. Arnaud. 3478. - Advertising & Editorial Material - Ph.: (03) 5495 1055; Fax.: (03) 5495 1937. Email: ncn@iinet.net.au Published weekly.
WEDNESDAY JULY 19th 2023.
Registered by Australia Post, Publication No. VAC 4217.
$2.00
Circulating in:- St. Arnaud, Charlton, Donald, Rupanyup, Bealiba, Stawell, Marnoo, Navarre, Dunolly, Wycheproof, Wedderburn, Birchip, Korong Vale, Stuart Mill, Redbank, Avoca & Moonambel.
(Incl. GST)
Tempers fray at VNI powerlines session TEMPERS were at breaking point last weekend when Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) engaged by AEMO (Australian Energy Market Operator) to assess the options for the Victorian section of VNI West new high capacity 500kV overhead transmission line, held an Information Session at the Town Hall in St. Arnaud.
Above: The anti-Option 5A group start to gather outside the Town Hall in St. Arnaud. Left: Tempers began to fray when only 50 members of the group were allowed into McDonald Hall for a special Q&A session. Below: Plenty of people attended the Town Hall on Saturday to hear more about Option 5A of the VNI West Interconnector.
Beautifully restored 1947 GMC truck finally finished FLOYD Polkinghorne bought the 1947 General Motors Company truck into Tom Esmore for service prior to his marriage in 1947. - Contributed He used it as his only transport, especially as his farm truck. The Esmores have continued working on it until he bought a Holden 1 tonner, where he then gradually retired the GMC. Roger, Floyd’s son, inherited it on Floyds passing, and for a
keepsake, his wish was to restore it back to new. For 10 years he requested Alan to restore it, but Alan’s memories go back to 1958, and all the jobs and patch ups they had to do, to keep the old truck going. • Continued page 6.
Roger Polkinghorne was all smiles as he picks up his restored 1947 GMC truck.
The ‘AEMO Say No to Option 5’ Group had arranged to have another area put aside for them to ask questions as a group, but only 50 of the more than 100 members of the group were allowed into McDonald Hall. They were told that the size must be kept to 50 as it was a ‘health and safety issue’, which was seriously disputed by members who stated that the cinema regularly has more than that in the room. Tempers were frayed as the group did not want to be divided up. Earlier Bill Baldwin stated that the group will stand together. “We are a community and we are all standing together on this.” It is unclear if the TCV staff were deliberately attempting to minimize any disruption that a full contingent could cause, however the Northern Grampians CEO Brent McAlister, on the phone to Barry Batters, directed the contingent to go back to the main town hall area. Further mediation occurred and a group of 70 were then allowed to enter the cinema area, for a personal session, and to ask questions. Farmers in this particular area were concerned that not sufficient input has been considered on whether solar is the best renewable. Farmers are also concerned that the detail of the disruption to farming practices as well as for fire fighting are not available. On Saturday Catie from the TCV Communication staff said that the exact pathway had not been decided upon. “We are waiting to get a full and detailed picture of where there are significant issues, either environmental or other before we can decide on the exact path.” Catie further elaborated that the change from Option 5 to Option 5A had been bought about purely because consultation showed them that the Option 5 route would be too detrimental to the environment.
