The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, has formally requested the Victorian Government and VicGrid to reconsider the inclusion of Colbinabbin in the state’s Renewable Energy Zones (REZ).
The recent approval of the Cooba Solar Farm, located just 4.5 kilometres from Colbinabbin, has raised significant concern among local residents, farmers, and community leaders.
The project involves the installation of approximately 740,000 solar panels across 665 hectares of productive agricultural land in the heart of the Heathcote Wine GI region, an area renowned for its farming heritage and tourism.
Ms Cleeland emphasised that the current centralised planning framework has sidelined the voices of the Colbinabbin community, ignoring the serious impacts on agriculture, fire risk, and local wellbeing.
“These projects must have a social licence to proceed, and that licence does not currently exist in Colbinabbin,” Ms Cleeland said.
“This is not about rejecting renewable energy – it’s about ensuring a fair, respectful process that listens to regional communities rather than imposing top-down decisions.”
Ms Cleeland’s call comes amid growing concern across Victoria, which has even see Labor MPs requesting reconsideration and improved community engagement in relation to Renewable Energy Zones.
In a letter to both the Minister for Energy Resources and the CEO of VicGrid, Ms Cleeland urged them to:
- Reconsider Colbinabbin’s inclusion in current REZ mapping.
- Pause further project approvals in the area until local voices are genuinely incorporated.
- Recognise the town’s economic reliance on agriculture and tourism in planning decisions.
“Colbinabbin deserves to be part of the conversation about its future,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Regional communities must not be pushed aside by a system that fails to acknowledge their unique needs and concerns.”
