Clunes locals are keen to form a new group to ensure the community gets good ongoing benefits from the 330 megawatt Nyaninyuk windfarm proposed for just west of the township.  

Acciona is looking to establish the wind farm between Evansford, Clunes and Waubra, on the western side of Mount Beckworth with the proposal now in the  planning and approvals phase.  

The proposed development is valued at $700 million and projected to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 210,000 households with the Western Renewables Link power conduit route proposed to pass just south of Clunes.  

In recent days Clunes community members, farmers and council representatives  were among those who met to discuss the proposed development and ways to ensure  the community and landholders can broker the best impact compensation deals.  

One of the meeting’s several co-convenors, Malcom Hull says general consensus  emerging from the meeting is around the need to form and formalise a group to advocate on behalf of the community and to negotiate with the wind farm’s  developers to ensure the community receives ongoing benefits.  

“It’s coming and it was started back in John Howard’s day. This isn’t about being  pro or anti wind farm. It’s about making sure the community doesn’t get dudded,”  Mr Hull said.  

He points to impact compensation deals that other communities have negotiated  from the establishment of renewable energy projects in their area, as examples of what  can be achieved.

“Waubra is getting $90,000 a year for the community,” Mr Hull said.  

“Rokewood is getting $230,000 a year and every person who lives in Rokewood  (and was living there before the windfarm was established) is getting their power bill  paid for the next 25 years.  

“We need to formalise an entity that can argue on behalf of the community and  it’s up to the community to put thoughts forward as to how money could be spent –  maybe a community battery, maybe electric vehicle charger points, maybe money for  the CFA …”  

David Lawrance of Farm Gate Renewables was among those who attended and  spoke at this month’s community meeting.  

Mr Lawrance says communities, including landholders, are doing “the heavy  lifting” in the clean energy transition and need to be fairly compensated. But he  says that if communities like Clunes don’t pro-actively stand together then they risk  missing out on getting fair compensation.  

“You have a voice in this. You shouldn’t be a silent victim,” Mr Lawrance says.  

Farm Gate Renewables operates on a commercial basis, providing consultancy  and advocacy to negotiate better ongoing deals for impacted farmers and landholders.  But it also works on a pro bono basis to help communities that are impacted by  developments to get the best outcomes they can in terms of fair compensation.  

Mr Lawrance says providing legal advice on possible different structures that an  effective community advocacy group may be able to adopt is one way that Farm Gate  Renewables can assist communities like Clunes.  

From here, Mr Hull and fellow co-convenors like Dr Tess Brady, say locals who  are interested in being part of the proposed community advocacy group should attend  the regular Sunday evening community drinks gatherings that take place at Attitude  Clunes.  

“If people have got skills, legal skills for example, or any other skills or ideas, we’d  be more than happy to hear from them,” Mr Hull said.  

Dr Brady says the ongoing Sunday evening community drinks gatherings at  Attitude Clunes happen from 5pm (daylight saving hours) with all welcome to  attend.  

“We are looking closely at other cases, other communities and the kinds of  compensation they’ve had,” Dr Brady says.  

“It’s pro community and how can we turn this thing into something positive for  us. The main aim is to avoid contention and find consensus.  

“The big picture here is a redistribution of wealth into the regions. If you add up  the amount of compensation around, it’s big dollars.”  Words: Eve Lamb | Image: File   

The experience of community members being talked over at an ageing conference was the spark that inspired the theme of a new short film shot in Clunes.

That film, Giving Voice to Ageing Well in a Small Community, has now gone on to become one of three made to help tell the story of a groundbreaking collaboration between Central Highlands Rural Health, Clunes Neighbourhood House and members of Attitude.

The contemporary Clunes-based alternative to the senior citizens of yesteryear, Attitude is a community-led initiative providing ongoing social, cultural, creative and physical activities for retirees and folk aged 55 plus, with all ages welcome.

The 12-month collaboration between Attitude, CHRH and Clunes Neighbourhood House has trialled a new approach to improving older folk’s physical and psychological well-being.

Findings were the focus of a special event held before a packed house in Clunes last Thursday, July 11, at Attitude in the town’s Fraser Street.

“When Attitude members got up to speak at an ageing expo at the very start of this project they were ignored and talked over by people working in the ageing industry,” said award-winning documentary filmmaker Dr Catherine Gough-Brady.

“So, I said let’s channel your anger about your experience of ageism into a short film where you get to express your thoughts,” Dr Gough-Brady said, describing how the new short film came into being.

Dr Gough-Brady, who has produced several ABC radio and TV documentaries, including The Communicator (2022), was approached by the Attitude members to film the story of the hub’s evolution in Clunes as a resource that shares real knowledge and practical insights for other communities.

“The script for the film is made up of lines from interviews with people from Attitude,” she said.

“Elders from Clunes chose a line they would like to deliver to the camera. Even though everyone is performing their lines, they are authentic experiences that are deeply felt. And it shows.”

Composer of the original music for the film, Elizabeth Drake, said the small film of just two minutes has some big things to say. Ms Drake’s other film credits include musical scores for Road to Nhill and Japanese Story.

“I was collaborating on this project that was challenging the stereotypes of ageing, but I was doing it from my studio in Melbourne, and I just wanted to get in and meet everyone,” she said.

“It led to me thinking about the tropes in society that accumulate around a certain identity or position. I also explored the word Attitude, which is the name the community has given to the loose collective in which they work to run their activities and the building in which they meet.

“The word is linked to ‘truculent’ and ‘uncooperative,’ so I wove those feelings into the music. Seeing how the film has come together, it is representative of real experience, giving a voice to real people.

The accumulation of voices adds up to a powerful message.”The Giving Voice short film screened during last Thursday’s gathering of industry and community members, during which the three key partners in the collaboration discussed the findings of the year-long project.

“Forty-five percent of people in our region are over 55,” says CHRH deputy CEO Phil Catterson.

“And only 17 per cent of people will go online to My Aged Care to help access services.”

The project has highlighted the huge importance of maintaining ongoing relationships between different community groups, agencies and service providers, Clunes Neighbourhood House manager Lana de Kort said.

Tess Brady of the Attitude, Ageing Well in Clunes working party highlighted the importance that the project revealed also of “doing things with people rather than for people”.

“People want to feel welcome and supported, safe, valued and accepted,” Mr Catterson said. “A sense of purpose and belonging is so important.”

The event also featured a guest presentation from Dr Mike Rungie from the EveryAGE Counts coalition steering group whose discussion touched on the way leaving a working life behind can present major life challenges.

Adelaide-based Dr Rungie highlighted the importance for every individual of maintaining a valuable role, or several, in the community throughout life’s journey.

He suggested sampling multiple different community-based activities, and particularly volunteering as a valuable means to achieve this for those who have moved on from the conventional paid workforce.

Words: Eve Lamb