TCV would like to provide an update on our recent community events, held throughout October.

This update also provides further information on the Community Reference Group, landholder engagement, environmental surveys and next steps for the VNI West project.

Community events

Between October 10 and 19, Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) held six information sessions including a webinar, attended by close to 500 people.

These events followed the release of the narrowed, draft corridor for VNI West in early October and provided an opportunity for people to ask questions about the route refinement process and the project.

Sessions were held in Charlton, Stawell, Boort and Kerang. Unfortunately, the session in St Arnaud could not go ahead after the local police advised TCV not to proceed following security concerns.

The TCV leadership team answered questions at the meetings along with representatives from VicGrid (Victorian Government representatives) and technical experts.

We received a lot of valuable feedback during these events and learned more about the topics that matter to the community.

At a glance, key topics of interest included:

• Concerns regarding health impacts, such as mental health and impacts of Electromagnetic Fields
• Bushfire risk
• Impacts on farming and agriculture
• The approvals process and consultation, particularly whether engagement can genuinely inform the process and the final decision on whether the project will go ahead
• Landholder engagement, land access and compensation
• The corridor selection process
• Alternative options such as 'Plan B'.

TCV appreciated the opportunity to hear from the people impacted by VNI West and we recognise that this project continues to cause significant stress for some people and communities.

We would like to thank everyone who took time out of their day to attend these events and talk to us. This engagement has helped us to better understand community concerns and topics that we need to explore further and provide clear, accessible information on.

One topic of concern that was raised by community members at each event was bushfire risk. We have been working closely with the CFA to try and answer key questions and provide further information to address concerns. We have updated our website to include a dedicated page on fire risk, including answers from the CFA on bushfire risk and transmission lines.

Community Reference Group (CRG)

We have received five new CRG applications and will provide details of the new members soon as they are all confirmed.

This brings the total to 17 community members on the CRG representing a broad range of locations across the draft corridor. The next CRG meeting with TCV, and technical experts is scheduled for late November 2023.

If you have something you would like the CRG to raise with TCV, please get in contact through the CRG Chair David Hale at CRGchair@rmcg.com.au.

Following is a list of the CRG members who have agreed to share their names and where they live:

• Andrew Borg, Redbank
• Barry Batters, Sutherland
• Brad McDonald, St Arnaud
• Daryl Warren, Donald
• Glenda Watts, Charlton
• Glenden Watts, Yeungroon
• John Wright, Terrappee
• Marcia McIntyre, Kanya
• Max Fehring, Kerang
• Rachel Lloyd, Charlton
• Vaughan Toose, Boort

There are three remaining spots open on the CRG and we encourage interested community members to apply through the link below.

Environmental field surveys

Field surveys on public land in the VNI West draft corridor began last week.

The data gathered from these surveys will build better understanding of the flora and fauna to assess the environmental impact across the draft corridor.

TCV will be seeking access to a small number of private properties to conduct environmental field surveys, for this initial phase of environmental assessment.

Our team will reach out to landholders to discuss this in more detail, including any biosecurity requirements.

Upcoming aerial surveys

As part of the environmental assessment process, we will need to capture high resolution elevation and geographic data to inform design routes refinement, cultural heritage management plans and environmental impact assessments.

In order to do this effectively, TCV will be undertaking aerial surveys during the month of November to capture light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and aerial imagery.

A small fixed-wing plane will fly between 500m and 1km above the ground, along the route of the draft corridor. Flights will take place over several days in early to mid-November.

Landholder engagement

TCV’s land team is continuing to reach out to as many of the farmers and property owners in the draft corridor as possible.

Every landholder in the draft corridor has a dedicated landholder liaison, a key contact who can help answer questions on important issues, including farming with transmission lines, biosecurity arrangements, access agreements, compensation for an easement and other payments.

If you believe that your farm falls within the draft corridor and you have not yet heard from us, we apologise – it has been challenging to find accurate contact details for some properties.

We encourage you to call us on 1800 824 221 – noting that a discussion with TCV in no way implies agreement to have transmission infrastructure on your land.

However, the conversations the landholder liaison team has with landholders in this phase is our best chance of finding a location for VNI West with the least impact on farming and communities.

TCV’s landholder liaisons have identified about 540 properties in the draft corridor and so far, the team has made contact with over half of these landholders.

The final easement for VNI West will be approximately 100 metres wide and will not impact all of the ~540 properties in the broader draft corridor.

Next steps

In the next stage of the project, TCV will continue to talk to landholders, Traditional Owners and communities in the draft corridor to provide information and seek input on important issues such as opportunities for community benefits and ongoing route refinement.

The draft corridor will be narrowed considerably by mid next year, from a width of approximately 2km to an eventual easement of about 100 metres.

Through direct engagement with people within the draft corridor, TCV will build its understanding of how the land is used and discuss how to minimise impacts on land-use, cultural heritage and the environment through planning and design.

In coming weeks TCV will refer the refined draft corridor to the Victorian Minister for Planning to consider whether an Environment Effects Statement (EES) will be required for the project.

The EES is a rigorous and consultative regulatory process to comprehensively assess the potential environmental, cultural and social impacts of the project.

This process will take place over 12-18 months and includes opportunities for consultation and input by community and technical experts during the development of the technical studies that are prepared in connection with the EES.

Get in touch

If you have a question you would like to ask, please get in contact through the details below.

Email: enquiries@transmissionvictoria.com.au

Free call: 1800 824 221

Website: transmissionvictoria.com.au

Kerang Office: Shop 15, 47 Victoria Street, Patchell Plaza, Kerang.
Open 12pm to 4:30pm on Tuesdays and 9am to 1pm on Wednesdays.