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The Moorabool News – 5 July, 2022 Page 7
Koala count expands
By Helen Tatchell
After the success of a pilot program run earlier this year, the Moorabool Koala Count will be expanding. Jackson Cass from Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group said they plan to continue their collaboration with the CSIRO and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners. “We will be fine tuning what worked well and improve our collaborations to deliver a larger and more rigorous monitoring program, that addresses key knowledge gaps in Koala population data, that will lead to better decisions being made for their survival,” Mr Cass said. From the recent success of the program, the group will now be hosting a co-design workshop. “The workshop will discuss how everyone from citizen scientists to public land managers can be a part of the project,” he said. The workshop will consist of a morning and afternoon session, with the former to be held at the Ballan Mechanics Institute. “We will be going over some new mapping that the CSIRO has developed to determine what areas there are with knowledge gaps, where we need to ground truth data, and what feedback the community has on this information,” Mr Cass said. “This will influence where we decide to ‘send in’ our citizen scientist, and where we perform our future surveys.” Nearby bushland at the Bostock Reservoir will be visited by attendees for the afternoon session, with training from CSIRO on how to look for evidence of koalas. The Moorabool Koala Count Co-design workshop will be held on Thursday 14 July from 10am-1pm indoors and 1pm4pm outdoors, lunch and morning tea will be provided. Book your free tickets online at www.eventbrite.com. au/e/moorabool-koala-count-co-design-workshop-tickets, places are limited. Can’t make the workshop? You can still be a part of the program, as there will be opportunities in the future for all eager citizen scientists. Contact Jackson Cass on email moorabool.landcare@gmail.com
COMMUNITY UPDATE July 2022 Moorabool North Wind Farm Progress to date • Finalising commissioning of all turbines. • The project played an integral part during the recent energy crisis by li�ing output from 100MW to 300MW when it was most needed. Look ahead • An�cipate full genera�on of 104 turbines, subject to AEMO approval. • Big thank you to the community for your support.
Landscape and Visual Screening Program
Owners of residen�al dwellings within 4km of the Moorabool Wind Farm are invited to par�cipate in a landscape and visual screening program. This is to assist those closest neighbours in reducing the poten�al visual impacts of the project. All agreed works are undertaken by Moorabool Wind Farm at no cost to dwelling owners. Visit www.mooraboolwindfarm.com or contact us for more details.
Moorabool Wind Farm Community Fund 2022
To date, Moorabool Wind Farm has invested more than $450,000 in the local community through its community funding, local sponsorships, and community partnerships. The third Round of the Moorabool wind farm Community Fund closed on 24th June. We will now assess the applica�ons with the assistance of the community fund assessment panel.
igure 1 Computer generatedTo image of Moorabool North Wind Farmproject from the corner and of Ballan Meredith Road use /Egerton Bungeeltap Road and Hamils Lane. contact us or to register for future updates newsle� ers please the following methods: ooking north west www.mooraboolwindfarm.com info@mooraboolwindfarm.com or call: 1800 019 660 mage of Moorabool North Wind Farm from the corner of Ballan Meredith Road /Egerton Bungeeltap Road and Hamils Lane.
MOORABOOL NORTH WIND FARM - CONSTRUCTION UPDATE – July ABOOL NORTH 2018 WIND FARM - CONSTRUCTION UPDATE – July
Zenviron, the contractor appointed by Goldwind for the civil construction and electrical works for the wind farm project, has started the initial stage of works. This work includes the establishment of he contractor appointed by Goldwind for the civil construction and electrical works for the temporary construction compound and access roads on the project area. Construction activity is arm project, has started the initial stage of works. This work includes the establishment of currently focused on the western side of the Ballan-Meredith Rd and will move to the western side rary construction compound and access roads on the project area. Construction activity is of the Moorabool River later in the year. ocused on the western side of the Ballan-Meredith Rd and will move to the western side orabool River later in the year. There will be an increase in construction traffic in the coming weeks due to the movement of