Tensions in regional Victoria have reached a boiling point after several local farmers were hit with hundreds of dollars in fines for blocking access to their land for the controversial VNI West transmission line project.

Twelve property owners in the state’s west received $814 infringement notices in the mail from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change (DEECA) this week. Another six landholders were issued formal warnings for preventing authorized officers from entering their properties to conduct planning and assessment works.

Farmers Vow to Fight Back in Court

Among those penalized is Marnoo stud sheep farmer Trent Carter, who has declared he will not pay the fine and plans to challenge the government's decision in court.

"It’s a wake-up call to every property owner around the country, whether rural or residential," Mr. Carter said. "What we think is ours isn't necessarily ours, and it's open slather for governments to come in and do what they'd like."

Mr. Carter argued that the timing of the government's access requests has shown a complete lack of understanding of agricultural operations. He noted that officials attempted to access his property during critical sowing, harvest, and lambing periods.

"We are at the beginning of our lambing season, which runs from April to mid-August. During lambing, minimal disturbance is absolutely required to ensure animal welfare standards are met," he explained, adding that he hopes his legal challenge will protect other landowners from being bullied.

State Powers and Voluntary Agreements

The VNI West project, designed to link the electricity grids of Victoria and New South Wales, requires survey officers to access private land to evaluate agricultural, environmental, cultural, and heritage impacts. Under the Electricity Industry Act 2000, transmission companies hold long-standing powers to access private land for infrastructure planning.

VicGrid, the state body responsible for planning the transmission works, clarified that it does not issue the infringement notices itself. In a statement, a spokesperson emphasized that the organization has spent years trying to reach voluntary agreements with affected landowners.

"We’ve increased access and early benefit payments, agreed to on-site inductions and seasonal timing requirements, and offered landholders the opportunity to choose their own survey specialists," the spokesperson said.

Despite these assurances, local opposition remains fierce. Farmers continue to argue that the project threatens their livelihoods, biosecurity, and property rights, setting the stage for a major legal and political showdown in regional Victoria.