Quill, The Buloke Times
Community spirit was alive and well at Marnoo on Sunday, February 22, as farmers and friends affected by mining and the renewable energy push came together in support and to share their stories – it was standing room only at the Marnoo Cricket Ground.
On Saturday the grounds had been packed with semifinal cricket contenders and sporting rivalry was a great way to break the ice prior to the formal meeting’s commencement and more important matters discussed.
Farmers Fight Back
Emcee Ben Duxson, surrounded by boxes of farm produce, started the afternoon off enthusiastically. He spoke briefly about the Farmers Fightback Campaign that was announced at the Across Victoria Alliance Conference held in Horsham recently.
AVA has united 27 allied groups across the whole of Australia in the fight against the mining and renewables projects throughout the regions.
Ben introduced the many guest speakers who spoke of issues and shared their individual stories, as well as offering advice to those assembled – gathered for one reason: to challenge bad planning and legislative overreach that threatens to destroy the viability of Australian agriculture.
The assembly heard from guest speakers Gerald Feeny, Marcia McIntyre, Andrew Wiedemann, Tess Healey, Heidi Lang, Peter and David Byrne, Bill Baldwin, Will Elsworth, John Drife and Colin Fenton, who collectively touched on topics such as the VNI West Line, REZ zones, budget blowouts, environmental impacts, land devaluation, fire fighting restrictions, property rights, mineral sands mining, accountability and mental health, especially the stress and anguish farmers are experiencing.
Their message throughout was clear: farmers are stronger when they stand together. As individuals, the renewables push has been terrifying landowners, threatened with hefty fines, loss of income, biosecurity threats, disgusting scare tactics, targeting widows, the elderly or the ill. The group heard of instances where people had been threatened with assault charges for refusing to allow access to their own land. These stories come with significant emotional cost to every community; the mental anguish farmers are facing in trying to protect prime food producing agricultural land for generations to come is unmistakable.
Food army
“It is in everybody’s interest to get this right,” said Andrew Weidemann. “For now and into the future, or the total cost will be borne by everyone.” “Why are we writing the policy for the people who should be leading us?” He continued. “Send the message to everyone across Victoria – we are the food army for Victoria. We are working together to fight for our land.”
Will Elsworth summed it up well when he said that farmers are reasonable and would take a hit if this project actually looked as though it would help the nation. The audience murmured in agreement – why support what doesn’t make sense? “It still hasn’t worked,” he said. “The politicians aren’t representing the people, they don’t care about our communities.”
It was discussed readily at the meeting, the various ways in which the government hasn’t exactly been playing fair. Tess Healey resented the fast tracking of wind turbine projects, the removal of the VCAT appeal process and the goal posts being moved any time they felt as if they were making progress.
Environmental vandalism
Heidi Lang highlighted a number of environmental reserves being impacted by the Navarre green hub project on the Bolangum Range This area contains critically endangered species of flora and fauna and is projected to have a BESS, mine and turbines in the middle of it. There has been little consultation carried out.
“It’s environmental vandalism,” she said. “We can’t ask the birds to wear hard hats.”
Bill Baldwin, sixth generation Gre Gre farmer at 26 years of age, spoke very well, representing the younger generation of farmers impacted. Two farm houses on his family’s farm are almost under these 500kv lines which will render them unliveable.
Amongst other issues Bill highlighted firefighting and insurance concerns: “If a fire was to break out at my place [which cannot be extinguished under power lines] and damaged one of their batteries or infrastructure, how is my farm ever going to be insurable?”
As well as concerns with insurability and premiums, farmers with land proposed for renewables are faced with a 25 per cent devaluation.
“Once the equity ratio drops below a certain level, they will have banks knocking on their door,” said Colin Fenton. “Where will the Shires pick up the extra rate income from when farms are devalued due to the lines?”
Hundreds of thousands of hectares of land were represented by the people in attendance, all fighting what Ben Duxson referred to as “the biggest scam in modern history.”
“This is a corrupt process,” he said. “We are not the playground for their projects.”
Farm gate
The fight is at the farm gate now, where no one stands alone. Large groups assemble in support of the land owner, presenting a united front, sharing knowledge and strength, stating clearly “Access denied.”
Guest speakers expressly warned farmers to be cautious in standing their ground, remain only on private land and ensure their behaviour cannot be called into question.
The meeting finished with a couple of popular songs, turned parodies, with lyrics changed to suit the situation, but nevertheless inspiring the assembled farmers to keep fighting and stand firmly united against the government’s corrupt processes.
There is strength in numbers and farmers all across Australia are now standing firmly together to protect the nation’s food bowl. As so eloquently put by John Drife, “We’re experienced with eliminating parasites on the farm.”
For those wanting to support the cause of the Farmers Fightback campaign, visit www.farmersfightback.com, sign the petition or explore the many other ways you can offer support, from financial assistance to volunteering, there is something everyone can do to contribute to this campaign.
See all the pictures from the event in the issue.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 26 February 2026.
