Community engagement

Listening to our community

Meadow Creek Solar Farm values open, ongoing dialogue with the local community.

Community consultation is an integral part of the design and approval process for renewable energy facilities in Victoria.

Community consultation was undertaken across 2022, 2023 and 2024, in line with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP)’s, Solar Energy Facilities, Design and Development Guidelines to ensure the project delivers real benefits while addressing community concerns.

Community feedback received during stakeholder engagement has been considered and incorporated into project design where relevant and possible.

How we engaged

A broad range of stakeholders were engaged across 2022, 2023 and 2024, including local MPs, Council, government agencies, landowners and users, Traditional Owners, community and recreational groups. Engagement methods included:

What we heard and how we’re responding

The table below provides a summary of the feedback we’ve heard and how it has influenced the proposal:

  • Like all electrical equipment, solar farms require careful design and management to ensure fire risk is minimised.

    All renewable energy projects in Victoria must be developed in line with strict guidelines set by the Country Fire Authority. These guidelines provide considerations and measures for fire safety, risk and emergency management.

    The standard measures include:

    • Fire breaks of 10 metres around the site boundary and within fenced areas between existing vegetation and solar panels.

    • 6 x 45,000 litre water tanks at site access points and 1 x 288,000 litre water tank at the main site entrance.

    A Bushfire Emergency Management Plan will also be prepared in consultation with the CFA before construction starts.

  • The project will have a range of insurance policies in place to cover the site in the event of damage or fire. While base rates for insurance premiums are rising across the board, advice provided to us indicates that there is no evidence of these premiums being raised for people living near solar farms.

    To further support our community, Meadow Creek Solar Farm’s insurance broker is available to discuss potential customised insurance solutions with neighbours, should the project move forward to construction.

  • Retaining existing trees and adding more around the edges and through the centre of the solar farm has been our priority.

    The design of the solar farm carefully avoids high-value trees, by setting solar infrastructure away from clusters of trees and other vegetation. Measures have also been taken to ensure there will be no impact on mature trees during installation.

  • The proposal is considered an ‘agrisolar’ facility, meaning sheep grazing can coexist with the solar farm.

    This will also keep vegetation growth low and reduce the need for weed and grass management.

    We have prepared an Agricultural Land Use Assessment to assess the proposal’s impact on agricultural land quality. This identified that flooding through the year and the overall quality of soil, means that this site contributes to only 0.6% of the Wangaratta Shire’s agricultural land, contributing less than 0.004% of Victoria’s agricultural economic output.

    Solar facilities have also been proven to improve overall land quality as a result of the shade from the solar panels and the sheep grazing activities.

  • Meadow Creek Solar Farm will be designed to operate quietly.

    Solar farms make a small amount of noise when operational, this is usually from the substation or electricity inverter.

    A Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment has been prepared and will be lodged with the Planning Application.

  • We have retained more trees throughout the centre of the site, creating a large green corridor for wildlife preservation and protection.

    This includes two large tree belts running through the site. These provide a habitat for local fauna and allow animals to move through the site.

  • The proposal includes upgrades to the local road network to support access to the site.

    The Planning Application will also include a detailed traffic management plan that will assess existing traffic conditions and propose measures to ensure minimal impact during construction.

  • Our landscape architects have prepared a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment.

    This assesses potential impacts on existing landscape character and visual amenity, including how the solar farm would look to the site’s neighbours.

  • Our engineers have completed computer modelling of electricity generation from the solar farm using historical weather data and recognised industry standards.

    The results show that the area is highly productive for solar electricity generation. Solar farms can still produce electricity in low-light conditions and overcast weather.

  • In response to community feedback, we have commissioned further flood modelling to determine potential impacts on flood-prone waterways and catchments nearby.

    As a result, no infrastructure is proposed around this waterway and surrounding vegetation. The project has also proposed setbacks around natural watercourses through the site, and areas sensitive to flooding.