Heidi Kraak
Latrobe City Council will echo calls from the community to keep Hazelwood Pondage open for recreational use.
Councillors voted on Monday night to write to Premier Daniel Andrews, requesting the state government fund a detailed feasibility study to investigate the options available to retain the waterway for public use.
A council report suggested the waterway could include a reduced water level of 2.7 metres.
Council will also request the Premier write to pondage owner ENGIE to ask it to cease all work that might jeopardise its potential future use as a recreational waterway.
Local politicians will be included in the correspondence.
It follows the tabling of a petition in Parliament earlier in the year, which garnered about 4800 signatures, calling on the state government to step in and reopen the pondage.
ENGIE closed the pondage in June last year and reduced the water levels after a report found its walls had deteriorated significantly with age and no longer complied with national dam standards.
Speaking at the council meeting, central ward councillor Alan McFarlane, who moved the motion to write to the Premier, said there had been a lot of community discussion about retaining the “iconic” pondage, yet “nothing has been determined to date”.
“The Latrobe Valley has supported the whole of the state with the provision of power for well over 60 years. I think it is time we got something in return,” he said.
“It is also important that all our local politicians be aware of what we are seeking.
“By including them in the correspondence, we will hopefully see their active support.”
Member for Morwell Russell Northe, who tabled the petition in Parliament earlier in the year, congratulated council for its support.
“It is very pleasing for stakeholders to know that they have the support of Latrobe City Council in retaining such an important community asset,” he said.
“The state government needs to act now without delay and conduct a detailed feasibility study on all available options in retaining Hazelwood Pondage.”
In 2018, ENGIE commissioned an independent analysis of the structural integrity of the Hazelwood Pondage walls.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said independent analysis had identified both immediate and long-term stability issues “that would cost tens of millions of dollars to rectify”.
“As owner of the pondage, ENGIE has determined that it is not viable to retain the pondage as it is, and is looking at alternative remediation options for the site,” she said.
“I look forward to being part of the ongoing community conversation about the site’s future and ensuring that its future use complements the Labor Government’s efforts to create more jobs and support the communities of the Latrobe Valley.”
Councillors voted on Monday night to write to Premier Daniel Andrews, requesting the state government fund a detailed feasibility study to investigate the options available to retain the waterway for public use.
A council report suggested the waterway could include a reduced water level of 2.7 metres.
Council will also request the Premier write to pondage owner ENGIE to ask it to cease all work that might jeopardise its potential future use as a recreational waterway.
Local politicians will be included in the correspondence.
It follows the tabling of a petition in Parliament earlier in the year, which garnered about 4800 signatures, calling on the state government to step in and reopen the pondage.
ENGIE closed the pondage in June last year and reduced the water levels after a report found its walls had deteriorated significantly with age and no longer complied with national dam standards.
Speaking at the council meeting, central ward councillor Alan McFarlane, who moved the motion to write to the Premier, said there had been a lot of community discussion about retaining the “iconic” pondage, yet “nothing has been determined to date”.
“The Latrobe Valley has supported the whole of the state with the provision of power for well over 60 years. I think it is time we got something in return,” he said.
“It is also important that all our local politicians be aware of what we are seeking.
“By including them in the correspondence, we will hopefully see their active support.”
Member for Morwell Russell Northe, who tabled the petition in Parliament earlier in the year, congratulated council for its support.
“It is very pleasing for stakeholders to know that they have the support of Latrobe City Council in retaining such an important community asset,” he said.
“The state government needs to act now without delay and conduct a detailed feasibility study on all available options in retaining Hazelwood Pondage.”
In 2018, ENGIE commissioned an independent analysis of the structural integrity of the Hazelwood Pondage walls.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said independent analysis had identified both immediate and long-term stability issues “that would cost tens of millions of dollars to rectify”.
“As owner of the pondage, ENGIE has determined that it is not viable to retain the pondage as it is, and is looking at alternative remediation options for the site,” she said.
“I look forward to being part of the ongoing community conversation about the site’s future and ensuring that its future use complements the Labor Government’s efforts to create more jobs and support the communities of the Latrobe Valley.”
