No Bass Coast or South Gippsland turbines for now

MASSIVE new electricity pylons, crucial to the nation’s renewable energy rollout, are going up at-a-pace across the Australian landscape at the moment, but not in South Gippsland or Bass Coast.

Not yet anyway.

As a result of the campaign by Bass Coast Councillor Meg Edwards, the Responsible Renewables lobby group and concerned local citizens, Bass Coast and South Gippsland were essentially not on the map when the Victorian Government formally declared five onshore renewable energy zones in the state’s South West, Central Highlands, Gippsland, Western and North West regions.

There was also a ‘Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone’ declared north-east of Woodside, which will host underground cables connecting offshore wind energy to the grid.

A similar jumping off point for offshore energy generators, proposed for Waratah Bay, has been omitted, although the corridor for the underground Marinus Link project has been included on the renewable energy zones map.

The map, describing the renewable energy zones and transmission sites planned for Gippsland includes the following notes under the heading ‘key land use and landscape values: 1. Bass Coast Shire - Bass Coast Distinctive Area Landscape and wind farm prohibition area (Victorian Planning Provisions). 2. South Gippsland Shire (west) - Area of higher aggregated dwelling density in west and south-west Gippsland. 3. South Gippsland (central) - Medium to high productivity agriculture across southwest Gippsland, particularly dairy farming. 4. South Gippsland (Wilsons Promontory & surounds) - Biodiversity/cultural/community: Wilsons Promontory and surrounding significant and sensitive landscape. 8. Biodiversity: Corner Inlet Ramsar-listed Wetlands.

Although these areas have been excluded in the initial round because “more work is required on its suitability”, it still hasn’t stopped the state government issuing planning approval for a 13-turbine project with a capacity of 80 megawatts being developed approximately 7km south west of Yarram, stretching towards Gelliondale and Corner Inlet.

The project still requires the approval of the Federal Environmental Regulator under the EPBC Act.

VicGrid Chief Executive Alistair Parker said he welcomed the Government’s decision to declare Victoria’s first renewable energy zones, which he said would improve coordination of solar, wind and battery projects and reduce the need for unnecessary transmission infrastructure.

“Victoria’s coal-fired power stations are due to close over the next decade and a significant amount of new renewable energy development is needed to make sure we can meet increasing demand for electricity,” he said.

“Renewable energy zones will ensure better coordination of projects and signal to communities and industry where the development of renewable energy should occur.

“The Minister’s declaration of zones will enable VicGrid to set clearer rules around how projects gain access to the grid, including expectations for how they engage with communities and deliver benefits.”

The zones have been designed to make the most of existing infrastructure, they say, and to minimise impacts for regional communities, the environment, landholders and key regional industries like agriculture.

The most recent round of consultation resulted in zone boundaries being refined and in the removal of some areas proposed for renewable energy zones. This includes a section of the South West Zone which has not been declared in recognition that more work is required on its suitability.

Consultation with farmers and their representatives helped VicGrid focus zones on areas where we were told agricultural practices were more compatible with renewable development, like dryland broadacre cropping and grazing, and to avoid wherever possible intensive agriculture and irrigated districts.

“Being in a renewable energy zone does not change the zoning of properties. Planning laws and approvals remain the same and landholders have the choice of whether or not they host solar, wind or battery projects,” said VicGrid.

“Only a small proportion of the land in each zone will be needed for renewable development, with much less than one per cent of Victoria’s total land area required for physical infrastructure such as wind turbines, solar panels and access roads.”

VicGrid also released for consultation draft Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines, setting out the proposed approach that will be taken to developing the next Victorian Transmission Plan in 2027. This plan will take a 25-year view of the state’s transmission and renewable energy generation needs.

More details on renewable energy zones and consultation on the draft 2026 Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines are available at vicgrid.com.au