Australian farmers take pride in their efficient and productive farming systems, competing in the global economy and without many of the large subsidies given to their counterparts in Europe and North America. There are many agricultural success stories in Australia – such as reducing soil erosion through conservation tillage – but major environmental problems have also emerged.
As always, I bumped into lovely, familiar faces in town and struck up a jovial conversation with an endearing, retired farmer I hadn’t seen in a long while (social distancing rule applied of course). He too was buying fuel and we enjoyed a good, old yarn, laughing and teasing as I proceeded to fill my diesel container with ‘unleaded petrol’!
It’s been over five years since the Schreurs uprooted themselves and their successful vegetable farm from the outskirts of Melbourne to Middle Tarwin, converting over 1000 acres of lush, former dairy and cattle land. The soil, climate and access to water sealed the deal. “We managed to find a location with a lot of water and a lot of water catchment area,” Adam Schreur explained.
Synergy Wind Pty Ltd applied to the Minister for Planning for permission under the Wellington Planning Scheme to use and develop what has been described as the Alberton Wind Farm in Wellington Shire. The Wind Farm is characterised as a wind energy facility under the Wellington Planning Scheme.
This paper was contacted by a Council spokesperson over issues they had with an article written on the FOI costs at Council. They raised three matters.
I keep reading that communities will be more accepting of wind farm developments if developers simply take the time to properly engage
with local people. Wrong! The last thing developers’ want is closer scrutiny of their proposals. They orchestrate and thrive on community division, and are smug in their knowledge that they can ram their proposals through the planning process.
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