The Marinus Link undersea power project between Tasmania and Victoria would require an easement across dairy farmer Paul Peluso’s property. He fears the access period and construction will disrupt the farm; the company says it is seeking agreements with landholders.
The Marinus Link project is designed to connect the power systems of Tasmania and Victoria with a 345-kilometre cable. On Paul Peluso’s dairy farm near Mirboo North, the proposed easement covers about four hectares. The farm spans 180 hectares, and Peluso fears trenching and construction access will disrupt the routes cows use to move between paddocks and milking sheds.
Peluso told The Sydney Morning Herald that the corridor crosses the main tracks used to move cattle. He said the project would require access to his land over a six-year period. Marinus Link made an initial construction-compensation offer and proposed annual payments of A$8,000 per kilometre on his property for 25 years, he said. Peluso declined to disclose the construction payment, but said it was small compared with the losses he expects.
Peluso’s niece, former Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano, is helping him negotiate. She said real estate agents had warned that uncertainty over construction and the easement could deter buyers. According to Germano, the route crosses an area where cattle are loaded, and a request to move it to a rear boundary was rejected. She also fears the works will alter water movement and disturb soil and grass growth.
A Marinus Link spokesperson said the company had engaged with landholders since 2019 and was committed to respectful, open negotiations. Compulsory acquisition would be a last resort, the spokesperson said, while the time required on each property would depend on factors including weather and geotechnical conditions. Access is needed not only for construction but also for engineering surveys and environmental and cultural heritage assessments.
The cable will run 255 kilometres under Bass Strait and another 90 kilometres underground in Gippsland to the Latrobe Valley. The first stage is designed for 750 megawatts, enough to power about 750,000 homes, according to the project. It is due to be completed in 2030, with the second stage planned for 2033. The article cited an Australian Energy Market Operator estimate of about A$7.57 billion for both stages.
Project supporters say the link would let the states exchange power: Tasmania could send hydroelectricity to Victoria when needed, while Victoria could export excess solar and wind power. Nexa Advisory has forecast that delays could raise wholesale prices; its estimate of the possible effect on household bills is a projection, not a guaranteed outcome. Peluso argues that nationally significant infrastructure must also allow local farms to keep operating on fair terms.