Port Anthony ready to support offshore energy generation

FAMILY-OWNED Port Anthony, located at Corner Inlet, can meet all the needs of future offshore wind energy projects in Gippsland, both in the construction phase and for ongoing operation and maintenance, one of its owners John Anthony told Sentinel-Times.

While South Gippsland Shire Council continues to advocate strenuously for local ports to be used for Gippsland wind energy projects, Cr John Kennedy brought the issue into sharp focus at the July council meeting.

“If you’re going to persist in wind energy generation in the Bass Strait, then common sense would prevail to do it at Port Anthony in South Gippsland,” Cr Kennedy declared, explaining that Hastings is 240 kilometres from the site where it is intended to start putting the wind farms, as opposed to Port Anthony that is 30 kilometres away.

Cr Kennedy zeroed in on the State Government’s opportunity to demonstrate its environmental credentials by preventing unnecessary shipping miles, remarking, “We’re talking about climate change, and they want to save the climate; that’s why the wind farm’s going there; why are we consuming millions of litres of diesel when we can do it from Port Anthony?”

He highlighted the astronomical costs of fuel and wages to run ships back and forth between Hastings and Gippsland.

Mr Anthony commends South Gippsland Shire Council for its strong advocacy for Port Anthony and the local jobs that would flow from it being used to support offshore wind energy developments in the area and their ongoing operation and maintenance.

“We’ve got a lot more land than what Hastings has got; we’ve got in excess of 1,000 acres,” he said, also commenting on the hold up and expense associated with efforts to get the necessary environmental approvals for the proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at Hastings.

“For them to do a wind farm project, they would have to have all new infrastructure, whereas we’re ready to go,” Mr Anthony said, estimating the required infrastructure at Hastings would cost the taxpayer between $1.2 to $1.4 billion.”

“We would spend around $120 million of our own money,” he said of what would be required for Port Anthony in terms of a laydown area, stressing the wharf has already been operational for 15 years.

He added that any dredging required at Port Anthony would be minimal.

South Gippsland Shire Mayor Nathan Hersey responded to Cr Kennedy’s comments on Port Anthony by stating those remarks are consistent with council’s advocacy efforts, later speaking to the Sentinel-Times about recent advocacy to the State Government.

As part of a contingent from council meeting with Minister for Climate Action and Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio, Cr Hersey reiterated council’s advocacy of local port use for offshore wind energy project operations and maintenance, and the local job opportunities that would provide in the Gippsland region and specifically South Gippsland.

“The Minister’s response was that for the construction, Hastings is the preferred location, and she didn’t rule out Barry Beach or Port Anthony being used for operations and maintenance, but it certainly wasn’t as positive as we were hoping,” Cr Hersey said.