Farmers, along with retail and tourism business owners from right across western Victoria have announced a rally against 500kV transmission lines planned for their region.
A planned convoy of tractors will gather at the Western Freeway Mobil service station near Ballan at 7:30am next Tuesday, August 15 2023.
They will then travel via the freeway, potentially causing major delays to peak hour traffic, to the steps of the Victoria parliament building for a rally at 12:30pm.
The alliance of farmers will voice their concerns over possible environmental, social, and economic impacts caused by both the Victoria NSW Interconnector West and Western Renewables Link projects.
Stop The Towers spokesperson and Yeungroon farmer Glenden Watts said transmission towers would cause a 100-metre wide easement through west Victorian farms along with native habitat and protected state parks.
They will push their way through where we live and work, impacting all of us and our environment for future generations,
Mr Watts said the alliance supported renewable energy, and efforts to protect the environment and mitigate climate change, but farmers wanted the transition away from fossil fuels to be environmentally sustainable.
"This project will cause immeasurable economic damage to farms and businesses, and irreparable harm to the environment and landscape to say nothing of the impact on the amenity and liveability of our regions and the wellbeing of our residents," he said.
"Even those who live in suburbs such as Melton and Darley will be badly impacted.
Notices have also been placed community boards in towns throughout the Wimmera-Mallee calling on farmers to join the protest.
Farmers in that region have voiced strong opposition to the VNI West project, while local Nationals MP Anne Webster has also called for a senate inquiry.
The Victorian Farmers Federation has also launched a petition calling for the two transmission projects to be stopped.
VFF president Emma Germano said the Victorian government did not adequately plan the projects and consultation has been poor through the whole process.
"Farmers and regional communities have been taken for a ride since these projects were announced and I'm not surprised that frustration is leading directly to Spring Street," Ms Germano said.
"It's the clear view of the VFF that an immediate stop to all activities related to the planning and construction of the Western Renewables Link and VNI-West transmission projects must be made."
