COAL CHANGE

Anglesea mine could become major tourism precinct

THE initial vision for the future of Anglesea’s mine and power station has been revealed, with parts of the site earmarked for “once in a generation” development.

The draft Land Use Plan is the latest stage in the Anglesea Futures consultation being run by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), and was released for feedback on Monday night.

The study area is more than 7,000 hectares in size and has been divided into 10 areas that will have their land use changed, as well as land with an already set use: the national park, the proposed water body (created as the coal mine fills with water) and the outer lease area.

The biggest change will be in Area 6 – the site of the power station itself – which the plan states will become “a signature new destination-based tourism precinct” that “offers a unique visitor experience in the region”.

“A mix of tourism and accommodation with complementary retail and other commercial uses would activate the area, improve public access, encourage local expenditure, promote development and attract new visitors to Anglesea.”

Although renewable energy initiatives such as solar panels are supported in Area 6 and others, proposals to use the water body and banks for renewable energy generation through floating solar panels or renewable hydro are “not considered feasible as they present risks to the stability of the sloping banks, may interfere with biological processes and water quality and may be susceptible to acidic erosion.

“Wind facilities would be inconsistent with state policy and the Surf Coast Planning Scheme as the developable sections of the study area are located within five kilometres of the coast.”

Using the water body for swimming, non-motorised boating or other recreational uses has been ruled out for at least 10 years, as it will take this long “before sufficient data is available to understand the water quality and to appreciate how the water body reacts to different seasonal events”.

A summary of submissions to the draft plan will be released in April.

For more information, head to engage. vic.gov.au/angleseafutures.