KING Valley residents opposed to a proposal to construct a solar facility on 566 hectares (1400 acres) of "premium agricultural land" in their backyard have taken their protest to Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny.
The community action group believes the proposed solar factory, if approved, will be a monstrous industrial site with a massive battery, constructed on a farm property in a region with some of the most productive grazing and cropping land in Australia.
Meadow Creek Agricultural Community Action Group have yet to receive a reply from the minister's office except acknowledgement of its receipt, despite it being sent on January 29.
The residents believe the solar factory proponents, Meadow Creek Solar Farm Pty Ltd, are preparing to lodge their application in the next few months.
"Our local community in the King Valley and Milawa Gourmet Region has grave concerns about the proposed Meadow Creek Solar Farm (Factory) being constructed in our farming district," the letter, co–signed by John Conroy (Bobinawarrah), Angela Godley (Meadow Creek), Andrew Farrington (Meadow Creek), and Tony Simpson (Docker), said.
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"As a local community we support renewable projects and we understand its importance for our future, however, we believe that they need to be in appropriate locations, to ensure food security and sustainability of our land use for generations to come."
In the letter they pointed out to the minister the Hume Regional Growth Plan has an overlay of "Strategic Agricultural Land" on the farm describing it as "premium agricultural land or farm".
The letter included Bureau of Meteorology data confirming the district's reliable rainfall and how the farm produces enough nutritious fodder to provide annual milk supply for 91,585 Australians.
The most common land use in the district was beef production, as it gets too wet to graze sheep on an average year.
They calculated the farm on an average year will produce up to 226,400kg of premium grass–fed beef, and at an approximate value of $25/kg is a gross production value of $5,660,000, at retail level.
"This is an extremely productive area and, considering the current inflation rate of dairy and beef products on supermarket shelves, as a nation we should be protecting our key agricultural production areas, not be turning them into solar factories," Mr Conroy said.
They suggested better options for solar energy production would be covering industrial sheds or school roof tops with solar panels, or to build solar factories on parts of Australia's 96 per cent non–arable land mass.
They believe Australia has a duty of care to keep our key agricultural areas in full production to help with both national and global food security.
The letter stated that the property was also in an area with an overlay of High Value Terrestrial Land according to the Hume Regional Growth Plan adopted by the Rural City of Wangaratta and a Special Water Supply Catchment Area for Wangaratta's domestic water use.
The community action group said the location at Meadow Creek was also unsuitable for such an industrial project as it is in a fire prone area, on a scenic tourist path that links the Milawa Gourmet Region to the King Valley Food and Wine Region, and water courses that flow through the property from a large catchment area that then flow into the King River and the Hurdle Creek.
The residents said there was an abundance of old stand Box and River Red Gums on the property and it was a key transit passage for wildlife between the King River, Hurdle Creek and the Meadow Creek State Forest, home to many native species of flora and fauna, and has areas of cultural sensitivity (refer Areas of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Sensitivity).
The letter asked Minister Kilkenny what will be considered when the planning application is lodged for the solar factory.
They referred the minister to the DELWP document "Solar Energy Facilities Design & Development Guideline", which they believed supported their view the location for this solar factory should not be considered.
"If this proposal goes ahead, who is responsible for the toxic mess if/when sometime in the future a bushfire/grass fire burns the solar factory, including the monstrous battery, keeping in mind this is a high rainfall Special Water Catchment Supply Area?" Mr Conroy said.
"Wangaratta's drinking water will be poisoned as will the King River, Hurdle Creek and Sheep Station Creek."
The action committee said they wished to further engage with all the ministers involved and invited them to the region to meet them firsthand so they can demonstrate the need for this proposal to be rejected.
Nationals MP for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy said there were genuine concerns about the proposed solar farm development in Meadow Creek.
"These concerns merit further discussion and I am also waiting for the minister to reply to my request for a meeting alongside local community members to ensure they have their views heard," Mr McCurdy said.
Independent MP for Indi Helen Haines said she was aware of the proposed solar farm and battery for Meadow Creek, and of the community concerns around it.
"The official planning process for this development, including the application and objection period, is yet to take place," Dr Haines said.
"That is the appropriate process and the important first step for people in the community who have concerns about the project to make their views known.
"I encourage people to take part in that process and ensure their voices are heard by the planning authorities."
