Initial stakeholder workshops

The workshops were held on 4 December 2006 in Geraldton, in Dongara on 5 December 2006 and in Perth on 11 December 2006.

Workshop objectives

The objectives of the design parameter workshops were:

to promote awareness and understanding of the project amongst stakeholders. Initial Workshops Summary (PDF 2.8mb - Large file).
to determine areas of high, medium and low social, environmental, economic, cultural and technical impact within the corridor.
to gain an understanding of what was important to the community and use this information as part of the route selection process.

Workshop structure

During the workshops, representatives provided advice on the sensitivity of various land uses and highlighted additional features of local importance within the 'area of interest'.

Each workshop began with an overview of the project and a powerpoint presentation on the need for and the benefits of a new 330kV transmission line.

There were also group discussions to identify sensitive land areas, map significant features in the region, and to harness local knowledge.

Attendees also provided valuable feedback on the sustainability principles and created new principles that were also deemed important.

Outcomes

Participants provided valuable local knowledge about significant sites located within the ‘area of interest’. Features identified include:

recreational areas such as Lake Indoon and Ellendale Pool
ecotourism such as caravan parks and tourist roads
features of European and Aboriginal heritage significance such as Irwin River and Greenough Hamlet
areas of high agricultural/ horticultural value such as Walkaway and Moonyoonooka horticultural areas and Irwin agricultural areas
future development proposals
features of environmental significance such as Beekeepers Nature Reserve and native egetation etc

Information on significant features were then fed into the GIS analysis process to identify potential corridor options.