A power company was negotiating to buy a farm near Kerang for the VNI West terminal station well before a new draft route for the high voltage line was released to the public.
Transmission Company Victoria has confirmed it had identified the 360 hectare (890 acre) farm as far back as July last year when it was again advertised for sale for around $2.2 million.
It had been owned by the same family for more than a century.
TCV is now offering to lease the farm out on one year terms.
The proposed new route for the controversial high voltage lines from the west of the state to the north was released in October.
A TCV spokesman said they had made public the "area of interest" which detailed the need for a terminal station near Kerang back in May.
"The land purchase does not pre-empt the location of the final easement for the transmission line," the spokesman said.
The Tragowel farm is 12km south of Kerang and about 30km in a direct line from the from the Murray River.
In October, TCV narrowed the proposed route from 50 kilometres down to two kilometres wide.
The project aims to connect the Victoria and NSW energy grids.
"The property was advertised for sale in July. It was in the area of interest," the spokesman said.
"The commercial negotiation and the potential purchase of the property was confidential until due diligence was completed and there was certainty that the sale would proceed."
TCV said it was hoping to lease the property out and "ensure it is maintained consistent with its current condition" while environmental and planning approvals are obtained.
The terms of the lease are for one year with the option of a second year.
Although it is an irrigation farm, water is not included in the lease.
The farm has two homes and various sheds.
TCV wants the lease to begin on March 1, expressions of interest close on February 9 through F.P. Nevins and Co. Real Estate.
The power company believes building of the terminal station will be delayed until at least 2026.
The spokesman said the suitability of the proposed site will likely be assessed through an Environment Effects Statement process.
TCV said if the environmental and planning investigation found the property was "deemed to be an unsuitable location for the terminal station", it could be sold.
The farm has much more land than originally proposed - the power company had earlier suggested only 20ha-80ha of land was needed for the terminal station.
TCV says it has signed an unconditional contract of sale for the property. The selling price was not disclosed.
VNI West is a project to build a new transmission line between Victoria and NSW linking new renewable energy projects..
TCV has been negotiating with often hostile landowners to help pin down the final route for the controversial transmission line from near Ararat to cross into NSW near Kerang.
The company said it had "made it a priority" to notify neighbours and local landholders of the land purchase.
It will hold yet more information sessions in the area on this latest move.
"This type of infrastructure is common across Victoria, with 61 terminal stations currently in operation, including several of a similar size, such as a terminal located in Moorabool."
The company said the proposed Tragowel terminal station was yet to be designed but the initial footprint is likely to be less than 20 per cent of the available land, with dimensions around 300m x 800m.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
