CANBERRA could be the next stop for a group of locals against the proposed offshore wind farm zone planned for the waters off Portland and Discovery Bays.

Federal Member for Wannon Dan Tehan will take the concerns of the more than 100 people who attended a meeting at the Portland Yacht Club on Wednesday afternoon to Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, when he meets with the latter next Thursday.

An unexpected outcome of the Portland meeting was the call for some locals to be part of the delegation, and Mr Tehan said he would check with Mr Bowen but would be happy to take them.

The delegation could include a school student who spoke up against the proposal.

Organisers Edie Fox and Rhonda Matheson-Browne were left a little stunned at the turnout to the meeting, having expected about 20 or so to show up.

“It’s a pretty amazing turnout for a Wednesday afternoon,” Ms Matheson-Browne told those present.

“We really shouldn’t have top be doing this but here we are.”

The wide cross-section of the community was there largely to show their opposition to the proposed Southern Ocean offshore wind farm zone, which would take in a 5100 sq km area between Warrnambool and Port MacDonnell, but largely focused on Portland and Discovery Bays.

The Commonwealth proposal is at the consultation stage at present.

There were eight pre-arranged speakers at the meeting, followed by several audience members who spoke out or asked questions.

Commercial fisherman Peter Price was first, speaking about the damage he believed offshore wind farms would do to both wildlife and the industry – as well as the view.

“It’s a once-in-a-generation battle to save over oceans and… coastlines,” he said.

“Nothing seems to be out of the reach of the multinational companies littering our precious coastlines to make profits.”

Brett Jarrett was next, the Narrawong painter and amateur ornithologist speaking on the possible effects on sea birds.

Mr Jarrett said the birds that visited the area “in various levels of abundance” were opportunistic feeders that spent most of their time in the air scouring the surface of the sea for food.

They included 14 species of albatross and 30 petrel and shearwater, and all had a flight profile which would lead to serious concerns of them striking wind turbines.

Surface contamination from oil leakages also needed to be prevented to allow marine mammals safe passage through.

Andrew Delony, who has been fishing commercially for 51 years, also brought up the speed of the wind blades as a danger to albatrosses and other birds.

“They haven’t got a chance,” he said.

Ashlee Ludemann represented the Considered Renewables group and asked why the federal government was going ahead with the idea when environmental laws it had should be protecting the species.

“Are you not putting at risk the very species you are trying to protect,” she said.

Ms Ludemann also questioned the efficiency of building wind farms near Portland when there would be substantial transmission losses to get the power to the majority of Victoria’s population.

“Would it not be more viable to have that renewable energy produced closer to Melbourne,” she asked.

That was a theme repeated a few times during the forum – eventually Mr Tehan also addressed it.

“The point’s been made we are already doing our fair share when it comes to renewable energy,” he said.

“What else is being done in other parts of the state, particularly Melbourne?

“What happens if they put turbines in Port Philip Bay? What do you think the reaction would be?”

Businesswoman Kim Hol questioned the nature of the economic benefits the wind farms would bring, especially if it put at risk the tourism benefits from being Victoria’s southern bluefin tuna capital, the Great South West Walk, whale watching and other activities that brought many visitors here.

“It’s hard to trust construction jobs,” she said.

“Most come from transitional labour and once completed most leave and move on.”

Rory Carter, also from the Considered Renewables group, said it had written to governments last year expressing its concerns and had not received any feedback.

“We’ve seen our local representatives endorse the proposal,” he claimed.

“It’s at complete odds with community sentiment.

“The proposed offshore wind farm threatens values that are irreplaceable to me.

“Our whole peninsula will be industrialised, no respite from land or sea.”

 The onshore wind farm industry was an example of what happened – after the initial hype contracts were let to overseas companies that were cheaper, leaving local manufacturing out in the cold.

 Jo Mulvey from the Portland Board Riders Club spoke of the impacts on surfers – particularly visual – and the world-class surf breaks around the area, from Blacknose and Crumpets to Whites and Blacks beaches.

The latter two beaches were also among the very few that faced directly west, ideal when the prevailing wind blew in from the south east, making the waves cleaner and nicer to surf.

Lilly Maas-Geesteranus, 17, also a keen surfer, also spoke of the views.

“What can’t you love about this scenery,” she said.

“It’s amazing – how could you not want to go out for a drive at Blacknose.

“These wind turbines are just going to wreck it. You’ll just look at it and it’s not going to be nice.”

Matt Hunt, whose business is in recreational fishing, made a plea for what happened with onshore wind farms – particularly at Cape Bridgewater – not to be repeated.

“The things they have put out there are one-third the size of these ones,” he said.

Several members of the audience then took to questioning the proposal.

Michael Byrne called on the public to put pressure on Glenelg Shire councillors to oppose the proposal, such as the neighbouring Grant District Council in South Australia had done.

He had the previous night asked the council for its position to which Mayor Scott Martin said that it was still considering the matter and would take part in the Commonwealth consultation process.

Former Grant District Mayor Richard Sage was in the audience at the forum, and later told the Observer of the opposition to the zone, particularly from Port MacDonnell.

Lewis Hameka, 16, asked what was being done about considering alternatives if the recreational tuna fishing industry was devastated.

“That’s a really good question,” Mr Tehan said, adding the Southern Right whale to the mix.

“What you’re raising is (a) very legitimate issue.”

Mr Tehan asked Lewis to make a submission, at which point many in the audience asked the MP to take the school student to Canberra for his meeting with Mr Bowen – to which Mr Tehan replied he would be happy to take community representatives along if Mr Bowen agreed to receive them.

Annick Beal, whose husband worked on wind farm maintenance for 20 years, said it was well known among maintenance workers that the best environment for wind farms was consistent, steady winds.

“One of the things that breaks down these wind towers is gusts and unreliable winds,” she said.

Longtime commercial fisherman David McCarthy said he was “quite flabbergasted” to see the area designated as part of the zone, which was right in the middle of the lobster grounds.

“The strip of bottom (of the sea) that they’ve designated is wildlife central,” he said.

Bass Strait was a better option as the towers would be built on sand, and it was shallow and “made for wind towers, even like these”.

Garry Everett and Julie Hart expressed their disappointment that more of those present weren’t also at community consultation meetings opposing seismic blasting in the region.

Primary school teacher Bella Voulgaris told the audience that seismic blasting had a devastating effect on krill, which would affect the whole ecosystem.

“I don’t think we’ve talked enough about the ecosystem impacts,” she said.

● The next stage in the Southern Ocean offshore electricity area consultation process will be a session held at the Portland Golf Club next Thursday, August 2, from 4.30pm.