Victoria approves Meering West wind farm before caretaker period

Traders Union
All News
Business & Wealth
Companies
Meering West wind farm approval

Highlights

Victoria's Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny approved the Meering West Wind Farm—with 155 turbines and 1.3GW capacity—one day before the caretaker period began.
Construction on Meering West Wind Farm is set for 2029, contingent on the yet-to-be-built VNI West transmission line for grid connection.
More than 100 objections from neighbouring farmers highlight local concerns and political risk, with the Victorian Coalition pledging to scrap VNI West if elected.

Approval timing and project scope

As reported by ABC News, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny signs the planning permit for the Meering West Wind Farm on Monday, one day before the caretaker period takes effect. The development at Meering West, about 140km north-west of Bendigo, could include up to 155 turbines, alongside 1.3 gigawatts of generation capacity and 1,000 megawatt-hours of battery storage.

Construction is due to start in 2029. The proposal is positioned as a major addition to Victoria's renewable energy pipeline, but it arrives at a politically sensitive moment because the project intends to connect to the VNI West transmission line, which has not yet been built.

Election risk and local opposition

Neighbouring farmers say the approval ignores sustained community objections, with more than 100 submissions lodged against the project. Concerns raised by objectors include noise, shadow flicker, land devaluation, fire risk and effects on the natural environment.

Tyler Nelson, a neighbouring farmer, says many affected residents only become aware of the project after it is already well advanced and that requests to remove turbines near objecting properties are not adopted. He also says the development has created divisions in the local community.

The project's outlook could still shift after the election. The Victorian Coalition pledges to scrap VNI West if it wins government, a move that could complicate the wind farm's grid connection, although local opponents say it remains unclear whether that would halt the project altogether.

The Victorian government, Meering West Wind Farm representatives and developer Virya are contacted for comment.

In our earlier article on Menara Asia’s launch of the Menarabena platform, we covered how the company is using digital tools to connect construction players with building-material suppliers while centralising certification, documentation and compliance information. We also noted its collaboration with CIDB-linked initiatives to streamline approvals and product certification, positioning the platform as a way to improve supply-chain efficiency without replacing existing regulatory requirements.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.