The stress-free option

By Melissa Grant
FARMERS are cracking open the champagne after the issue of whether powerlines would go above or underground was finally buried on Thursday.
Consortium AquaSure has committed to underground electricity, much to the delight of farmers who faced the terrifying prospect of having powerlines strung up all over their land.
They have labelled the outcome as a victory for commonsense, but also feel a sense of anger about their ordeal.
Cora Lynn potato farmer Col Hobson said it was great that Aquasure had committed to putting the powerlines underground – the State Government’s preferred option.
“We’ve been sceptical right until now,” he said.
“Its good news for people around here and the 200-odd farms it would’ve traversed.”
Some farmers were set to lose 50 per cent of their production if overhead powerlines were erected. They said paddocks traversed by the line would’ve been unworkable as irrigation and crop spraying would’ve been severely restricted.
Those in the twilight of their farming career risked losing their nest eggs as their parcels of land would’ve been difficult to sell with pylons on them.
Yannathan dairy farmer John Coleman, whose retirement plans were under threat, said he was overjoyed to discover the powerlines would go underground, but was now feeling a little flat.
“It caused a lot of anguish for some people,” he said.
Cora Lynn potato farmer Wayne Tymensen said he was relieved and excited by the outcome but was upset at what affected landholders had been subjected to.