MALLEE and Wimmera farmers gathered at Wycheproof on Friday, November 29 to discuss and share information on several renewable energy projects in the area including wind factories, mining, and solar farms.
The meeting held at Wycheproof Recreation Reserve had 120 people in attendance.
Farmers from Lalbert also attended the meeting to share their concerns about the Goschen Rare Earth and Mineral Sands Project which is awaiting approval from the Minister for Planning.
Member of the community group Mine Free Mallee Farms and Lalbert farmer Craige Kennedy said other members who attended the meeting found it helpful.
“Communities across Wimmera and Mallee are being affected by mining and transmission lines,” he said
“Our communities are seeking what they can do to inform themselves and help their families and local businesses.”
Marnoo farmer and organiser of the meeting Ben Duxson, said renewable energy company ACEN was invited along with possible landholders of the Corack East wind project which ACEN has proposed.
However, they were not present at the meeting.
Mr Duxson said he was prompted to organise the meeting after ACEN postponed three community sessions within the last two weeks citing safety concerns.
“I also thought the community needs to be brought up to date with Labor’s energy policy,” he said.
“As someone who falls within the area the Corack East wind project will impact, I think it’s important for the community to know how wind factories or any other project will impact them and how they can go about handling a project coming to their area.”
The event had guest speakers including Andrew Weideman, James Bourke, Peter Knights, Tess Healy, Ross Johns, Tanya Clark and Barry Batters.
Others could not attend as they were busy amid harvest season.
Rupanyup grain farmer Andrew Weiderman spoke about the possible impacts Astron Corporation’s Donald Rare Earth and Minerals Sands Project could have on his farm.
“There has been very poor consultation with the community about the impact the mine will bring,” he said.
“We talked about the impact the project will bring to the area and that we needed to ask the government to review its Environmental Effects Statement.”
The Victorian government approved the 28-square kilometre mining project in 2008 and from 2026, they will be allowed to start production to eventually export according to Us uranium company Energy
Fuels which has given Astron $183 million in funding for the Donald mine.
