By Lauren Henry

Protesters from as far away as Melbourne and Castlemaine joined landowners at Wallaloo East yesterday against the Victoria New South Wales Interconnector, VNI, West project.

About 150 people gathered at the property where Ben Duxson, head of the Wallalloo and Gre Gre District Alliance, farms as a VicGrid staff member asked to gain access to the farm to conduct ecological surveys.

‘Access denied’ was the catch-cry used by the crowd – many landowners in the region – as Mr Duxson told the surveyor that he did not permit him to come onto the land.

It was the latest, and largest, of a series of protests in the past fortnight where opposing landowners along the proposed route for the high-voltage transmission infrastructure have denied VicGrid staff access to their farms.

VNI West, which will connect energy systems in Victoria and New South Wales, starting at Bulgana, east of Stawell, has been met with significant criticism by affected landowners where the transmission line is proposed to be built.

An Environmental Effects Statement for the project is currently underway, with technical studies on ecology, agriculture, traffic and transport, landscape and visual amenity, social factors, and cultural heritage. 

Landowners called for VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker, Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, Premier Jacinta Allan, and Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen to meet with them to hear their concerns and discuss the project.

Mr Duxson said it was the third visit to his farm, south of Marnoo, by a VNI West worker.

“We’ve been doing this for two weeks and we’ve made sure that it’s a hard no – access denied,” Mr Duxson said.

“We’ll keep having that stance just because of the way they’re going about it, but also the policy they’re putting in. 

“We need a policy that’s going to be good for the next 100-200 years.

“We really question their energy policy at the moment, and how affordable it can be to Australian consumers and Australian businesses as well.

“That’s the principle of what our fight is about. It’s not so much ‘it will be a horrible thing to have it, land values will decrease and it will be terrible to  farm around it’, but it’s all on the principle that this isn’t good for Australia.” Mr Duxson said the VNI West cost blowout from a  $3.8-billion to a $7.6-million project, with some estimations it could balloon out to $11.4-billion, was also a key issue.

“We need to educate the city people that this is going to have a big impost on their lives – not only does it put transmission through here, but it puts agricultural products and food and fibre at risk, sustainability gets weakened and affordability goes up as well,” he said.

“There’s a lot at stake here, and it’s about making sure people are educated about it and make their own decisions. 

“I don’t know of anyone who’s power prices are actually going down at the moment, so there’s a real issue going forward that we can’t afford this.”

Teghan Pearse, who farms at Donald and Quambatook, both of which will be affected by the VNI West project, travelled to the protest yesterday.

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Both her and her husband are sixth-generation farmers who are inextricably linked to their farmland, and they would not accept any compensation offered.

Mrs Pearse said her major concern was about how the project would affect the environment.

“This might be the best plan there is now, but it’s still a terrible plan for our nature,” she said.

“The trees that we’re going to lose and the soil that is going to be replaced with concrete in our paddocks – it just is heartbreaking.

“I feel like technology is moving so quickly.”

“Can we just ask for 10 or 15 years to just discuss it, try and work out technology that there might be a way of achieving the same thing without ripping up the soil,” Mrs Pearse said.

“It just feels like it’s been rushed and it feels like they’re just rushing it more – they’re taking away more red tape to get it through. 

“I just want to hug them and say ‘please just take a step back and let’s look at the trees that we’re going through’.”

Mrs Pearse said there was significant opposition to the project in her community – and she was worried about the mental-health impacts.

“They’re not open to it, and it’s sad. They’re losing sleep over it. I’ve got 60-year-old neighbours who are losing sleep over it,” she said.

“I know what stress causes to our body. I’m nervous there’s going to be cancer, depression, suicides, and anxiety.”

In a statement provided to The Weekly Advertiser, Mr Parker said the VNI West was ‘a crucial project to keep the lights on for all Victorians’, replacing ‘ageing coal-fired power with new renewable-energy sources’.  

“These surveys are about getting the best information so we minimise impacts on the landscape and on farming operations,” he said.

“Our strong preference is always to agree to voluntary access. 

“That’s the way we want to keep working, because it leads to better outcomes for everyone. Safety comes first – for landholders, for community members and for our staff – and we’re asking everyone involved to approach this calmly and respectfully.” 

Member for Murray Plains, and former Victorian Nationals leader, Peter Walsh spoke about the VNI West project in Parliament this week, and the State Government’s new laws that allow farmers to be fined if they oppose staff gaining access to their properties.

“ I don't see a problem with farmers breaking those laws to protect their rights. In fact, I commend those farmers and their neighbours for actually standing up for each other against these Draconian laws,” he said.

“These laws were introduced because the Labor government made such an abysmal job of consulting these farmers about VNI West.”

Mr Walsh said the government had treated farmers with ‘total disregard for their human rights’.

“The VFF now has 6000 signatures on its petition to protect farmland in Victoria, particularly from the Labor government who have little or no regard for private property, country people, or farmers.

“We are just there to be used and taxed to fund Labor's debt from cost blowouts on Melbourne infrastructure.

“What is happening is unjust. It needs to be called out.”

The Victorian Farmers’ Federation has launched a campaign titled ‘Help protect Victorian farmland’. People can find out more information at www.vff.org.au/protectourfarmland.

The entire December 3, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!