Warrnambool wind farm session attracts large crowd

While some were vocal in their opposition to wind farms, others supported the idea and many were there on fact-finding missions about a proposed new offshore wind farm zone from Warrnambool to Port MacDonnell.

The session at the Lighthouse Theatre - which ran from 4.30pm to 6.30pm - attracted almost 100 people in the first half an hour.

Cr Richard Ziegeler, speaking as a private citizen, said his first question was whether ocean wind farm installation involved seismic testing.

He said he had been told that in some shallow areas sonar could be used but in other areas seismic testing was needed but not to the same depth in search for gas.

But he said he attended the drop-in session to learn about offshore wind energy and what impacts it would have on the environment. "I'm for renewables altogether where it can be shown it doesn't do environmental harm," he said.

Cr Ziegeler said he wasn't surprised by the large turnout to the session. "I don't believe there has been enough research into renewables in total," he said.

Another man who didn't want to be named said he supported offshore wind farms but was concerned renewables weren't going to be installed quick enough to reverse the impact on the climate which had caused wildfires and flooding.

He said offshore wind farms were a temporary solution that could be reversed if something better came along.

"We've got to try," he said. "They're not ugly, in some ways they're soothing if you watch them go around.

"If we're going to live the way we are, we've got to do something."

Fisherman Neville Dance said he didn't think offshore wind was the answer.

He said he had some "fairly grave concerns" about offshore wind farms and the underwater cables and their impact on marine life.

"In an attempt to save the environment on land we're going to destroy the marine environment," he said.

At least three offshore wind farms have already been mooted - one off Warrnambool, another off Portland and a third near Port MacDonnell.

Last year, The Standard reported an international company had begun the process of investigation five sites off the Victorian coast including a one gigawatt offshore windfarm off Warrnambool.

In 2021, plans for a $4 billion wind farm 10 kilometres off the coast of Portland that could help power the smelter were revealed.

Earlier this year plans for a 77-turbine wind farm off Port MacDonnell were also announced.

When Federal Minister for Energy and Climate Change Chris Bowen officially launched the consultation process during a visit to Portland last month he said the zone could generate up to 14 gigawatts of renewable power.

Drop-in sessions will be held on Wednesday at the Port Fairy Yacht Club between 12-2.30pm and Portland Golf Club between 4.30-6.30pm.

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