Council
4 September, 2025
Councillors vow to oppose wind farm
CORANGAMITE Shire Council will formally oppose the proposed development of Swansons Lane Wind Farm.
Councillors voted at last week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council to oppose the ministerial permit application which has been lodged for the proposed wind farm.
The wind farm, proposed to be located between Terang and Garvoc, would include five wind turbines with a maximum height of 252 metres with associated infrastructure.
The wind farm would boast a generation capacity of 35 megawatts, generating the equivalent of the needs of around 29,000 homes.
Councillor Jamie Vogels moved the motion supporting the recommendation to object, saying council was not anti-renewables but felt opposition was necessary because they are “pro-process, pro-community and pro-rural fairness”.
“This ministerial permit application proposes five wind turbines up to 252-metres tall, in prime agricultural land in Garvoc,” he said.
“So that’s taller than the Eureka Tower with blades bigger than the oval of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
“They’re dropped into paddocks that feed the region and this state.
“To date, consultation has felt more like a courtesy call than a conversation and we’ve been handed a glossy proposal with missing pages, no confirmed turbine model, no cumulative impact assessment, no clarity on decommissioning and no real engagement with the broader community.”
Cr Vogels said he held concerns the increasing number of renewable projects would have a negative impact on the region’s agricultural productivity.
“What currently powers rural communities is trust, transparency and planning that respects the land and the people who live on it,” he said.
“The site spans the two shires of Moyne and Corangamite and sits with a landscape of working farms, family homes and fragile ecosystems.
“The land is flat, open and deeply productive – it’s not just a backdrop for wind factories, it’s our livelihood.
“While the participating landowners may be on board, what about the neighbours? What about the farmers who will live with the visual, acoustic and environmental aspects?
“Dare I mention the impost of the planning overlays that are unfairly hampering the future of the neighbouring farms and farmers.”
Councillor Laurie Hickey seconded the motion, saying it was a case of “Swansons Lane Wind Farm versus dairy farming”.
“I think south west farmers have had enough,” he said.
“We continually battle crumbling roads, rising biosecurity costs with the closure of many truck wash facilities and being pushed around by large-scale renewable energy projects that are imposed on our community.
“Yet, through all this, we’re still expected to feed the nation.
“Corangamite Shire is the largest dairy producer. South west Victoria is nationally significant – producing just under a quarter of Australia’s milk and supporting many jobs.
“Dairying is the backbone of our local economy and protecting it is a priority.”
Cr Hickey said he also felt the application was lacking in detail.
“The wind farm application says dairy farming should continue around the development, however it hasn’t shown how this would actually work,” he said.
“There’s not enough detail that shows the risks to dairying during construction and the wind tower operation
“Without that there’s no certainty dairy farming and the wind farm can co-exist as suggested – and we don’t want it to co-exist, we want dairy to actually thrive in the area.”
The motion was carried 6-0, with councillor Geraldine Conheady absent due to a potential conflict.