Summary of FERA meeting at Ruffy Hall & Upton Hill CFA, 20th May 2023

On Saturday 20th May FERA once again held community consultation meetings at Ruffy and Upton Hill. Both meetings were the same format, a sit down presentation with questions and answers.

FERA’s attitude has not changed, everything is presented as a fait accompli and any concerns raised by the community are dismissed with glib answers. This is all rather demoralising to sit through, leaving you with the feeling that there is nothing we can do to change the outcome. This is not the case.

While there are many activities that the community can assist with, such as using iNaturalist or documenting the local landscapes, one of the simplest and possibly most effective things we can all do is to talk to our neighbours and discuss with them the impact that the project will have on the local environment, how it is not the best use of the land in this area, and say no to FERA’s approaches to lease land for wind turbines or transmission lines. If we as a community say no by refusing to lease to them, then we can stop FERA.

Without land FERA can build nothing.

FERA have committed to put the recent presentation on their web site at www.feraaustralia.com.au

Their web site currently shows the areas of development based on data from February. The recent presentation showed the areas of development have shifted away from Ruffy and Yark and now cover Highlands. FERA have stated that their preferred route for the transmission line is to connect near Murrindindi. This would have the 330kV transmission lines running through the Molesworth/Caveat/Highlands area.

Other information given by FERA at the meetings included the number of landowners who have signed contracts is now up to 12, with the number of turbines increased from 60-70 up to 80-100. Turbine masts would be from 100-150m high with blade lengths of 80m. All of this is subject to change as their project develops.