The 2009 Royal Commission investigated into the circumstances surrounding the Black Saturday Bushfires, and recommended that power lines be placed underground to avoid further heartbreak and devastation. And even recently last month, tens of thousands of homes were unconnected from the electricity system because of storm damage to powerline infrastructure.
Despite this recommendation, and other incidents, in June of last year, many families received notice that AusNet had planned to construct a 180km high voltage, overhead transmission line from Sydenham to Bulgana, north of Stawell right through the middle of their property, and the properties of many others. Each tower will stand 85m tall (for perspective, that is taller than that of the towers that light up the MCG), directly above homes of many, and will require a 100m wide devoid of vegetation, deeming the land useless for farming.
On July 17 and 18 my daughter Kelly from Bunding, will be running 100 miles, close to that of the proposed length of the Western Victorian Transmission Network Project to raise awareness for the concerns and safety of the many hundreds of communities, farming or otherwise, who will be affected by this build.
This is intergenerational farmland, and these are our homes. Please give generously to show your support.
All donations will go directly towards marketing and advertising and legal guidance and representation to help preserve our countryside, protect our agriculture, and put the high tension, high voltage power lines underground, where they belong.
Well done Kelly, such an amazing effort!