Melbourne, May 8, 2026, 09:02 (AEST)
AusNet has asked the Victorian government for the authority to forcibly secure land easements for its Western Renewables Link, turning up the heat in its ongoing dispute with farmers over the high-profile grid project. An easement gives legal access to use a section of a property—typically without taking ownership of the entire farm. Western Renewables Link
This is significant right now: Victoria updated its law in March, allowing transmission firms to push for compulsory easements even as an Environment Effects Statement—known as the EES—remains in progress. The EES serves as the state’s official probe into a project’s environmental, social, and economic impacts. Western Renewables Link
The Western Renewables Link is set to stretch 190 kilometres, running overhead between Bulgana in western Victoria and Sydenham, on the north-western fringe of Melbourne. According to VicGrid, the project would be able to deliver over 3 gigawatts—sufficient to supply power for upwards of a million homes—and is intended to boost renewable electricity flowing into the state grid as coal-fired stations shut down. VicGrid
AusNet says it lacks compulsory acquisition powers for the project right now; whether that changes depends on a government decision. For now, the company is sticking with its push for voluntary Option for Easement deals. Compulsory easements would only hit properties that haven’t signed on, if a formal acquisition notice gets gazetted. Western Renewables Link
Farm groups argue this shifts the dynamics at the table. Peter Star, Acting President of the Victorian Farmers Federation, described the application as “a deeply concerning step.” He urged the government to turn it down, saying landholders can’t see the talks as voluntary if one party is after the legal authority to seize the easement regardless. Victorian Farmers Federation
Hepburn Shire Council has joined the opposition. Mayor Tony Clark argued that giving AusNet authority ahead of the EES decision would undermine landholders and “questions the EES process.” He also noted AusNet had approached landowners to sign voluntary agreements before September wraps up. Hepburn Shire Council
State politics is the new battleground. On Thursday, the Victorian Coalition pledged to halt and reassess both the Western Renewables Link and VNI West transmission projects if it wins this November’s election. Labor, for its part, insists the state needs fresh transmission lines to maintain affordable, reliable power as coal plants wind down. ABC News
Legal advisers say the March law change could tip the balance in negotiations. Maddocks lawyers Chris Cantor and Lorcan Cullen noted that easement acquisition can now happen alongside the EES process, with compulsory acquisition potentially beginning sooner—a shift they expect will reshape discussions between project proponents and landholders. Maddocks
This isn’t an isolated fight. Over in New South Wales, opponents of EnergyCo’s planned Walcha-to-Bayswater transmission corridor have gathered 22,272 signatures for their petition—enough to land it in the 20,000-plus bracket, triggering a parliamentary debate set for June 25. ([Parliament of NSW][8])
EnergyCo has trimmed the New England Renewable Energy Zone corridor down to a 1-kilometre-wide strip, after starting with a 3-kilometre study band. That adjustment means around 150 landholders now fall within the project’s footprint, compared to roughly 200 before. Chief Executive Hannah McCaughey called the project “essential to keeping the lights on” as coal plants exit, but she emphasized that execution is critical, too. EnergyCo
Sydney’s 2GB jumped on the Walcha campaign, calling the petition milestone a victory for farmers pushing back against transmission towers. EnergyCo maintains in its project documents that no land has been compulsorily acquired for the New England REZ, stressing it aims to reach voluntary deals first. 2GB
Governments face a tricky trade-off here: ramping up land acquisition could shave time off grid construction, but it might also stir up pushback in rural areas—inviting lawsuits, political heat, and even more holdups. For developers, the picture flips. No easements, no guarantees—major transmission lines could blow their deadlines for linking new renewables to the grid.
[8]: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/papers/Pages/tabled-paper-details.aspx?pk=193257 “
Mr Brendan Moylan—Rejection of New Transmission Line Corridor from Walcha LGA to Bayswater“
