Offshore wind developer Gippsland Skies has announced it will not proceed with surveying the proposed northern grid connection cable route through Waratah Bay following substantial community opposition.
In a statement released on 2 April, the company confirmed it has abandoned plans to bring offshore wind farm cables ashore at Waratah Bay, which would have required transmission infrastructure to be built through South Gippsland to connect to the Latrobe Valley electricity grid.
"Taking into consideration the large volume of community feedback received, Gippsland Skies will not be surveying the proposed offshore northern grid connection cable route," the company stated.
The decision comes after an extensive community consultation process that included 19 separate sessions conducted over the past nine months, with eight sessions held in February and March alone.
Local community groups and residents have been vocal in their opposition to the northern cable route, expressing concerns about environmental impacts and visual disruption to the coastal landscape. The proposed route would have brought cables ashore at Waratah Bay before travelling overland through South Gippsland's hills toward the Latrobe Valley.
Robert Boelen, a retired engineer, had previously voiced concerns about transmission infrastructure. "Should the cable corridor come ashore at Waratah Bay rather than the originally planned site at Giffard, we will have to fight hard to make sure it goes underground," Boelen said in February.
The Waratah Bay route had been proposed as an alternative to the eastern cable corridor that would connect the offshore wind farm to VicGrid's nominated connection point near Giffard, where other offshore wind projects like Star of the South plan to connect to the grid.
Local Prom Coast community group Responsible Renewables welcomed the decision.
"This important decision aligns with the Federal Government's commitment to protect the western side of Wilsons Promontory, creating a consistent approach to preserving our region's pristine coastal environments," said Laura Jennings, spokesperson for Responsible Renewables.
The community advocacy group acknowledged the strong support received from local federal election candidates including Mary Aldred, Russell Broadbent, Tully Fletcher, and Deb Leonard, who stood with residents in expressing concerns about the original proposal.
"Gippsland Skies has demonstrated genuine responsiveness to community feedback through extensive consultation. We hope this collaborative approach becomes a model for both government and other developers. True community consultation means not just listening, but taking meaningful action based on what you hear. Gippsland Skies has set a positive example that we encourage others to follow," concluded Jennings.
Gippsland Skies confirmed its upcoming marine survey program will now focus exclusively on "surveys in the feasibility licence area and proposed eastern cable corridor route only." The company noted that any consideration of alternative offshore grid connection corridors will be informed by the Victorian Transmission Plan being developed by VicGrid, the state government body responsible for planning renewable energy transmission infrastructure.
Gippsland Skies expressed gratitude to community members "for the time they took to attend our various consultation and information sessions and for providing clear and respectful feedback on our proposed offshore wind project." Cara Schultz
