Why Our Community Is Concerned About the Central North REZ
Protect Productive Landscapes in the Dookie Hills & Goulburn Valley
Petition Summary:
The Dookie Hills and Goulburn Valley are highly productive landscapes that support food production, livestock systems, edible oils and renewable biofuels. This land already contributes to Victoria’s low-carbon future while sustaining regional communities, biodiversity and cultural heritage.
The proposed Central North Renewable Energy Zone overlays some of the state’s most productive agricultural land. Industrialising these landscapes risks long-term ( negative ?) impacts on food and energy production, community resilience and regional livelihoods.
We support renewable energy and the transition to a low-carbon future. But renewable energy infrastructure must be located in appropriate areas that minimise conflict with productive land and existing regional systems.
We call on decision-makers to:
Recognise the Dookie Hills & Goulburn Valley as a critical food and energy production landscape
Apply evidence-based, place-specific planning to renewable energy development
Ensure renewable energy is delivered in the right places, without compromising productive land and regional communities
Independent reports from Greater Shepparton City Council and Sequana show major concerns, including:
loss of high-yield cropland (wheat 5–8 t/ha; canola 3–4 t/ha)
improper mapping of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites
environmental risks to wetlands and natural floodways
inadequate and incomplete community consultation
incorrect land capability assumptions
significant impact on Dookie’s visitor economy and landscape values
Sign the petition to protect Dookie’s future
In addition, the Central North REZ was not included in the Government’s 2025 REZ Orders — indicating major process issues that must be resolved before any further planning occurs.
We call on the Parliament of Victoria to:
Suspend the Central North REZ until full cultural, agricultural, environmental and hydrological assessments are completed.
Protect Dookie’s prime agricultural land from inappropriate industrial-scale infrastructure.
Require proper consultation with landholders, Traditional Owners and community groups.
Commission cultural mapping in partnership with Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation.
Ensure renewable energy planning does not override food security, cultural heritage, biodiversity and community wellbeing.
Relocation of REZ infrastructure to lower-impact areas
Victoria needs renewable energy — but it must be planned in the right places, with respect for land, community and culture.
We urge Parliament to debate this issue and protect the future of the Dookie region.
We strongly support renewable energy and climate action but it must be planned in the right locations, not at the cost of the Goulburn Valley Food Bowl.
The campaign is calling on community members to support a formal petition to the Victorian Parliament. Under parliamentary requirements, the petition must receive either 2,000 written signatures or 10,000 verified electronic signatures by 26 May 2026 in order to be formally tabled.
Once the signature threshold is met, the petition will be presented to Parliament by Sponsoring Member Wendy Lovell, requesting that the Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, formally respond to concerns regarding the siting of the Central North Renewable Energy Zone and the adequacy of community consultation.
Campaign representatives say the petition process is a necessary step to ensure community concerns are formally acknowledged through Parliament.
“This is about following due process,” a spokesperson said. “Decisions of this scale must be informed by proper consultation, evidence-based planning and genuine community engagement.”
Following the tabling of the petition, the campaign will also notify Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria regarding concerns about the lack of meaningful community consultation associated with the proposed Renewable Energy Zone.