This announcement follows complaints from the community about an eastern section that was added to the Central North REZ after public consultation had finished.
The 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan, which included the new eastern section of the Central North Zone, was released in August last year.
The proposed zone covers some of Victoria’s most productive farmland, as well as culturally important sites and wildlife habitats.
Many stakeholders in the region have expressed concerns about the impact the development could have.
The Protect Productive Landscapes – Dookie Hills and Goulburn Valley campaign was launched in response and is backed by the local community, including farmers, residents and Traditional Owners.
The campaign has been advocating for careful planning to protect agriculture, food security and regional communities while supporting renewable developments and a transition to a low-carbon economy.
In November 2025, Greater Shepparton City Council made a submission to VicGrid to ask for the boundaries of the REZ to be redrawn to exclude high-value farmland, flood-prone areas and land with significant infrastructure investment.
The council also requested that VicGrid consult Traditional Owners and perform detailed environmental assessments.
VicGrid has confirmed that the zone has not been formally declared, and consultations will be made on the draft ministerial orders for the declaration of the zone.
“We know some people in new areas of the zone have expressed concern about what this will mean for them,” VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker said.
“We are keen to hear what locals think, and I want to reassure them that there will be more consultation before this zone is declared.
“I also think it’s important people know that, whether they are inside or outside a zone, landholders always have the right to decide whether or not they want to host solar, wind or battery developments — it’s their choice.”
VicGrid has consulted other communities in the proposed zones in Victoria across the past two years.
Mr Parker said minimising impacts on farming was a central focus of the Victorian Transmission Plan and that VicGrid had engaged extensively with the agriculture industry to get its advice on what types of farming were and were not compatible with renewable development.
Before the formal consultation period, VicGrid will host three community engagement sessions in Dookie and these will be followed by additional meetings across the proposed zone.
The sessions are being held in the Supper Room of the Dookie Memorial Hall at 7pm on May 5, 6 and 11.
For more details on how to register for a session or book a group meeting, visit tinyurl.com/38k7k2s5
