General News
28 March, 2025
Council say “enough is enough”, unanimously refusing broiler farm application
Council's opposition marks one more chapter in the site's decade-long back-and-forth.
Central Goldfields Shire Council have refused a broiler farm application in Strathlea, continuing a decade-long back and forth over the site.
Councillors voted unanimously to oppose ProTen’s application to build a broiler farm cluster for up to 445,000 birds and two caretakers’ houses with associated buildings.
This leaves ProTen with their existing permit from 2017, which councillor Gerard Murphy recognised.
“I know they can go ahead and build their six sheds but sometimes enough is enough, and we must move on, and I believe this is a fair situation right now if they go forward and build those six sheds, 325,000 birds, and lay this one to rest,” he said.
Beginning in 2013, the back and forth over permits led to an application for six sheds and 325,000 birds to be refused by council in 2016.
In 2017, VCAT ordered the decision be set aside and a planning permit was issued.
Cr Murphy said the proposal would be contrary to VCAT’s earlier decision to issue an “existing, valid, planning permit” for the subject land.
He theorised the applicant was seeking an extra 120,000 birds with the latest application.
“There’s something that doesn’t add up here,” he said.
The application received 11 objections and two neutral submissions.
In the submissions to council concerns included: impacts on landscape character, the impacts of odour, noise including from heavy vehicles, impact on water quality, the wetlands, flora and fauna, and air quality, plus the cumulative impacts of several broiler farms in an area.
Considering the application and previous VCAT decision, councillor Ben Green didn’t believe there was “any other reasonable choice to make”.
“I was moved by the objectors with their sincerity and country honesty,” he said.
Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella said she understood why corporations were attracted to the Moolort Plains but the community should come first.
“We were elected councillors for the people, and that’s exactly what we must do. We have listened to the community, understanding the distress they are enduring through a compromised amenity. A community tense and fearful of health issues, anxiety, and diminished quality of life,” she said.
While she understands corporations such as ProTen find the area appealing for their business she doesn’t believe that should be at the cost of local residents.
“We have a passionate close community who flourish and love living in the ideal location in or adjacent to the Moolort Plains,” she said.
“Not because it is cheap, not because they want to generate business and satisfy shareholder pockets but because they choose to live in this locality to enjoy and maintain a quality of life and rightfully so.”
The allure of the Moolort Plains for broiler farms is echoed by Pavilion Farms owner Michael Vukadinovic who previously told The Maryborough District Advertiser he intends to expand his operation further.
“We intend to build more farms [and a biogas plant] there because it’s the perfect location,” he said.
Pavilion Farms currently has two advertised applications in the Carisbrook area which council intended to make a decision on in the first quarter of 2025.
ProTen declined to comment on council’s decision.