Devastated farmers are rallying against energy company AusNet following the public release of the proposed route of its controversial powerline through western Victoria.
Food giant McCain says 29 potato growers would be affected by the 190-kilometre Western Victoria Transmission Network Project (WVTNP), which proposes building high voltage transmission lines to transport renewable energy from Bulgana, near Stawell, to Sydenham in Melbourne's north-west, via a new terminal station north of Ballarat.
Farmers are concerned transmission line easements through their land could restrict the use of vital farming machinery, ruin the soil and increase the fire risk to the 250 landowners that would be impacted.
The region is some of the best potato-growing country in Australia, producing over 130,000 tonnes of potatoes annually, and most of that is supplied to McCain, which stocks McDonald's.
Seventh-generation Springbank potato grower Kevin 'Cog' Maher said the current proposal would render his business inoperable.
"AusNet has stated certain irrigation can't be used near towers, or wet ground, because it is highly dangerous, so they're endangering our workplace with this proposal," Mr Maher said.
"They're putting us, growers, out of work and we will lose 15 per cent of our productive area - that 15pc of what we grow is our profit."
Speaking on behalf of Central Highlands Potato Growers, who grow an estimated $1.5 billion in retail product annually (or 350 million serves of McDonald's chips), he said the livelihood of the region's potato growers would be impacted.
"To downgrade the land around Ballarat is threatening the food security of Australia," he said.
"It is delusional to knock our best farms out of production.
"We want AusNet to see reason in its push to go green, and actually keep the country green as well, by protecting the environment because we need to be able to produce the food."
Together with the 29 other McCain and Lamb Weston spud suppliers, Mr Maher wants to push AusNet to pursue the project underground.
While Ausnet has stated it will pay compensation of more than $200,000 for each high-voltage tower it builds on rural properties, Mr Maher said the potential damage to families was much more.
"I've been so worried that I had a heart attack," he said.
"It's the constant worry of what will we do next?"
Much of the route still skirts bushland, which farmers fear could intensify summer fire risks.
There are three locations along the route where alternative options are still being investigated - at Hepburn Lagoon, Darley and Melton Aerodrome - due to potential visual, landscape, Aboriginal cultural heritage and aviation impacts.
But it is unlikely any of the powerlines would be buried, with AusNet arguing it would increase costs 16-fold.
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In June, Moorabool Shire Council debunked this increase estimate in a report which proved underground high voltage power cables were a viable alternative to the overhead transmission lines proposed by AusNet.
Moorabool Shire Council chief executive Derek Madden said the project did not consider the costs or benefits outside of the electricity market.
"Now is the time to get serious about putting this infrastructure underground," Mr Madden said.
"We have not only shown that it can happen, but it is a better solution - and not the 10 times more expensive that is quoted by both the Australian Electricity Market Operator (AEMO) and AusNet."
The release of the final route for the project triggered a fundraiser to finance a legal challenge, launched by Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance (MCHPA).
As of Tuesday, the MCHPA had received nearly $30,000 of a $100,000 fundraising goal to support a legal challenge, which spokesperson Emma Muir anticipated would go to court.
Ms Muir alleged the WVTNP had breached the National Electricity Laws Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) process with an inadequate investigation by the AEMO which had not considered viable alternatives.
"There hasn't been a project of this size for 40 years, which is why AEMO and AusNet are making so many mistakes," she said.
"We are the guinea pigs but we don't want to be the guinea pigs.
"The RIT-T process doesn't allow landowners to be engaged at all, as we are not considered stakeholders."
She said the MCHPA was an umbrella organisation that represented 3500 people and 12 groups who opposed the WVTNP in its current form.
"Everyday since last week the swell of anger towards this project is huge," she said.
"We are at risk of fatigue but we are not going away.
"AusNet, AEMO and the state government hope we get tired but there are some very passionate people out there.
"[AusNet] have tried to narrow the route to take people out of the fight, so there are fewer landholders but it has had the reverse effect - the community is enraged.
"Just because it is not on your property doesn't mean it won't affect you - you will still be unsafe, the environment will be damaged, and industry will be severely impacted.
"We are still as mad as we were at the beginning."
But WVTNP executive project director Stephanie McGregor said the proposed route aimed to minimise impacts to houses, Aboriginal cultural heritage, agriculture, and vegetation.
Ms McGregor said going underground would require significant soil and vegetation removal, disturb Aboriginal cultural heritage and limit renewable development.
"The investigation has found that undergrounding the transmission line would require significant soil and vegetation removal and disturbance of Aboriginal cultural heritage, would limit opportunities for future renewable development, not meet the technical availability and reliability requirements of the electricity system, and cost approximately 16 times more," AusNet reported.
As a result, Ms McGregor said overhead construction had been recommended by the investigation.