Moyne Shire Council fails in bid to delay Mt Fyans Wind Farm hearing

Council representatives pleaded the case for more time at a directions hearing on March 2 but the request was denied, with the hearing scheduled to start on April 3 and run for around three weeks.

Moyne Shire councillors voted unanimously to object to the proposed wind farm at January's monthly meeting, meaning council officers and legal representatives will appear at the planning panel to argue against the project.

Council economy and place director Jodie McNamara said officers had tried to defer the panel until after the report had been released from the Willatook wind farm planning panel.

"Many of the issues to be considered for the Mount Fyans wind farm are similar to what were raised during Willatook wind farm hearing and council is of the view that understanding how these issues have been considered and any associated recommendations may influence how council presents its case for a similar sized wind farm," Ms McNamara said.

The council also presented at the Willatook planning panel to argue against that project. The planning panel report for Willatook was completed and submitted to the Victorian planning minister nearly two months ago, but the decision when to make it public was "at the discretion of the minister", the government said.

Mortlake resident Yvonne Thomas presented to the council's February meeting to emphasise the importance of trying to delay the panel hearing and to ask whether the council was going to "work with the Mortlake Community Alliance to fight the permit".

Ms Thomas also asked what resources the council was going to use to fight the development.

Cr Damian Gleeson said he wasn't accustomed to ratepayers asking questions of councillors during meetings.

"Don't we ask the questions?" he said.

Cr Gleeson also said he was puzzled by Ms Thomas' questions about how hard the council was going to work to object to the proposal.

"It's pretty clear we're against it, so I'm not sure of the point of the question," he said.

The Standard asked the council whether its failure to defer the Mount Fyans panel hearing would make its efforts to halt the project more difficult, but Ms McNamara declined to comment.

"Council does not comment on live matters before a tribunal or panel," she said.

If approved, the Mount Fyans project would be one of half-a-dozen wind farms in the area, which locals say risk encircling Mortlake and drastically changing the character of the landscape.

The area is right in the heart of the state government's designated South West Renewable Energy Zone.

The strong, regular winds and proximity to the high-voltage transmission lines that run past Mortlake make it a hugely efficient and desirable area for wind farm development.

The council, however, says Moyne already hosts its fair share of turbines.