The team driving a project which they hope will transform the Hazelwood coal mine into a forested tourist wonderland are thrilled Latrobe City Council has given the nod of approval to the principle.
Councillors voted unanimously at Monday night’s council meeting for the proposal of the Great Latrobe Park project which would incorporate ENGIE’s proposed full pit lake into a 6000-hectare natural attraction.
Cr Graeme Middlemiss said at Monday’s meeting, the “innovative” proposal was well worth considering as an alternative to what is currently on the table for Hazelwood’s future.
“The motion advocates and promotes the addition of words ‘visually attractive’ [and] ‘useful’ to the goals of the Latrobe Valley Regional Rehabilitation Strategy,” Cr Middlemiss said.
Already the strategy requires the Hazelwood mine be safe, stable and sustainable once rehabilitated.
“Perhaps we can get a much better outcome from the rehabilitation strategy than … should I say, the narrow thinking that is going on at the moment. I have no hesitation in recommending this to council,” Cr Middlemiss said.
The Great Latrobe Park would offer themed botanic gardens, outdoor sports such as mountain biking, eco retreats, an industrial heritage trail incorporating used machinery from the decommissioned power station and much more.
The park would stretch from Yallourn Power Station to the Hazelwood coal mine in an area slightly larger than Sydney harbour.
Park strategist Nina Burke does not yet have a figure for the cost of the park, however, said there was interest from private investors and was urging state and federal governments to come on board the project to begin design work.
“We are talking about transforming the Latrobe Valley from its expiring coal mining industry into tourism,” Ms Burke said.
She said in order to progress the issue of ownership of the land would need to be resolved.
A similar concept has been achieved in a handful of locations globally, including at a former iron and steel rolling mill in Germany.
Ms Burke said the experience at similar projects overseas was the community had been at the table with government, the landscape architects and investors.
“We want our people from Latrobe Valley and Gippsland engaged in the process,” Ms Burke said.
The Great Latrobe Park project team is developing a website where further community consultation can occur.
At a community meeting in March ENGIE announced its plans to turn the Hazelwood mine void into a full pit lake and estimated the process would take about 20 years.
ENGIE was unable to provide a response yesterday and directed The Express to the ‘Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project’ page on the company website.
