Dairy farmers Jill Porter and Jack Kenna employed an independent company with a high-tech new device to test poles near their farms after they found a see-through power pole which also had a large cavity.

That pole, No. 2 on the Sparrow Spur line at The Sisters, was just metres from the rotten Pole No. 4 which started The Sisters/Garvoc bushfire on St Patrick’s Day in March when it snapped in high winds.

Testing early last week, using Groundline Engineering’s seismic wave Thor system, led to a number of power poles being rated as degraded and requiring further examination 

Powercor contractors tested poles at The Sisters using a cross-section horizontal Groundscan.

Three poles were marked with white crosses and painted bands around the pole, declaring they were unserviceable and should be replaced.

In all eight poles were replaced last week.

Groundline director Ian Flatley has been considering a register for some time and on Friday a number of people contacted The Standard to report they knew about dodgy poles.

Pictures of the poles, their locations and details of those who reported the poles were passed onto Mr Flatley. 

A Twitter account and Instagram account were also created and are requesting photo submissions.

Ecklin’s Simon Craven submitted photos of a deteriorating pole on his family farm. 

“The further you go off the main road and onto the beaten track, the worse the poles seem to get,” he said. 

“This isn’t just a straight line pole, it’s a corner pole with a transformer attached to it.

“There’s bits of wood rotting off and it appears to have been torched in what could be the Ash Wednesday bushfires. 

“I just can’t understand the neglect. 

“There’s a white X painted on it but it looks like it has been there for years. The pole is obviously somewhere in their system as not being up to standard, but clearly nothing has been done.” 

Mr Craven said a regular inspection cycle believed to be conducted by Powercor in May next year was too late. 

“If just one wire snaps, it could wipe out half your farm,” he said. 

”We lost a significant amount of boundary fencing and pastures in the Garvoc and Cobden-Warrnambool Road fires. 

“My house was in the line of those fires so it’s really disappointing that this hasn’t been looked at properly. 

”We’re in peak fire season right now. It clearly needs to be replaced.” 

Have you seen a dodgy power pole? You can send your photos to The Standard or use the hashtag #dodgypoles. 

Concerned residents should contact Powercor in the first instance or include @powercor in the post. 

Moyne Shire councillors have backed a call for power companies to be made more accountable for maintaining their distribution networks in a safe state.

Councillor Daniel Meade put forward a notice of motion at the December monthly meeting that “the shire support the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria Wannon Branch, in calling on the Victorian State Government to ensure those responsible for power transmission, maintain and upgrade infrastructure to safe, secure and stable levels that protect rural and regional communities”. 

The UDV Wannon branch believes electricity distribution companies should be accountable for the financial and emotional costs to families, employees and communities because of fires caused by unsafe, unstable, ineffective or substandard transmission infrastructure. 

Cr Meade said Moyne backed the UDV’s position. 

“The UDV Wannon branch asked us if they would support their own resolution,” he said. 

“I put it to my fellow councillors and got full support. The Garvoc farmers were heavily affected by the St Patrick’s Day fires and there is still an ongoing battle for them. It's still not up to scratch. There are still damaged poles on their properties and blind Freddy can see that they are putting lives at risk.”

Cr Meade said the council would be “pushing the barrow hard” with the State Government.

“We will be pushing for stronger regulations and enforcement on these power pole companies so they don't put rural taxpayers at risk,” he said.

“They shouldn't be living in fear like that. Moyne Shire understands the importance of agriculture as an industry to our shire and these dodgy power poles are a risk to this industry.”

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