The long-awaited Environmental Effects Statement (EES) for the Western Renewables Link (WRL) has been released for public exhibition, with submissions open until 12 August 2025. Hepburn Shire Council is urging community members to review the documents and make a submission during this critical consultation period.
The WRL is a proposed 190-kilometre high-voltage overhead transmission line designed to carry renewable energy from western Victoria to Sydenham in Melbourne’s northwest. The project is being led by AusNet Services and includes the construction of transmission towers, terminals, and infrastructure passing through key agricultural and environmentally sensitive areas — including parts of Hepburn Shire. Community members, landholders, and Councils have raised serious concerns about impacts on farming, visual amenity, biodiversity, and cultural heritage.
The EES, administered by the Department of Transport and Planning, outlines the project’s anticipated environmental, cultural, social and economic impacts, and how they would be managed. It is a key part of Victoria’s environmental planning framework and is only open for public comment for 40 business days — from 30 June to 12 August 2025.
To access the EES visit www.westernrenewableslink.com.au. To make a submission to the Inquiry and Advisory Committee and to and learn how to make a submission, visit www.engage.vic.gov.au.
To help the community engage with this complex process, Hepburn Shire Council will host drop-in sessions in Newlyn and Creswick, where residents can ask questions and learn how to prepare a submission. Printed copies of the EES and supporting materials will also be available at the Daylesford and Creswick Libraries. Council staff will be available to support community members with navigating the documents and understanding the submission process.
In its 2025/26 Budget, Council has allocated over $1 million to strategic planning and advocacy — including funding for a detailed response to the EES. Hepburn Shire Council has consistently opposed the WRL in its proposed form, advocating for alternatives including undergrounding of transmission infrastructure and meaningful engagement with landholders.
Mayor Cr Don Henderson reaffirmed Council’s stance. “We stand with our community in voicing serious concerns about the Western Renewables Link,” he said. “While we strongly support renewable energy, this project has been flawed from the beginning due to a lack of genuine community partnership. Our opposition is based on the impact to prime agricultural land, cultural heritage, and our visitor economy.”
A report on Council’s formal submission to the EES will be presented at the July Council Meeting and made available on the Council website.
Community members with questions about the project should contact AusNet or Engage Victoria, who are responsible for the EES and consultation process.
This article is based on a media release from Hepburn Shire Council.
