By KATH GANNAWAY
GOING underground from Don Valley to Mount Toolbewong in Healesville is the ultimate test of the feasibility of undergrounding power, according to Don Valley resident Richard Hack.
Mr Hack’s property in Reserve Road is the launching pad for Healesville drilling and electrical company HDD’s contract with SP AusNet to put in 5.6 kilometres of underground powerlines.
The project is part of a $750 million package put in place by the Liberal Government in response to recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission.
The aim was to mitigate bushfire risk associated with single-wire earth return (SWER) power lines throughout Victoria by bundling or burying them.
Eildon MP, Cindy McLeish, visited Don Valley last week to see how her government’s legacy was progressing.
She said the program aimed to have the highest bushfire risk areas covered within 10 years, but in a lot of places which most fitted the criteria in terms of bushfire risk, there was no access.
The type of mountain and gully topography between Don Valley and Healesville is typical high-risk bushland, with scattered households, and businesses such as Mr Hack’s Yarra Valley Spring Water, needing a reliable and safe electricity supply.
“Having Richard’s property to provide access for the type of heavy machinery that’s needed for this job, makes it do-able,” Ms McLeish said.
Justin Pearson described Mr Hack’s property as ‘the heart’ of the operation.
Machinery access is a deal breaker in a lot of areas, and having access to the cleared areas put in for the bottling plant, as well access to neighbouring properties, has been a huge plus.
Existing roads have been used in some places for the cable which has to be buried 1.2 metres below the surface.
Mr Hack is excited to be part of the project which he says is a valuable safety switch for the area.
“We would have SP AusNet out here fixing lines, often because of falling branches and trees, sometimes up to three times a month.
“This will eliminate that.”
It is also, he says, proof that with co-operation and determination, undergrounding of powerlines was achievable.
“If you can do it here, you can do it anywhere,” he said.
“We have granite rocks, the hardest to drill through.
“If you can drill this granite, drill through under creekbeds and do it without killing tree ferns or trees, without destroying the bush, you can go anywhere,” he said.
