Traffic stops for wind farm part
Amajor
renewable-energy project underway in the heart of the Wimmera created a need for special traffic-management plans across the state this week.
A 320-tonne, 70-metre-long ‘superload’ transporting a piece of heavy but critical infrastructure for Murra Warra Wind Farm spent much of Monday and yesterday creeping westward along roads and highways.
Powerful trucks started hauling a huge transformer, constructed at Glen Waverley and essential for wind-farm operation, about 11pm on Sunday.
With stops scheduled for Melton and Bungaree, it arrived at the Murra Warra site at 4pm yesterday.
Vicroads issued a traffic alert in response to the superload late last week, informing motorists that due to its sheer size and weight the transport, travelling at 15 to 20 kilometres an hour on some sections of road, would be difficult to pass and delays were likely.
The superload travelled on the opposite side of some sections of the Western Freeway, travelling through Ararat and Stawell and making its way through Horsham yesterday afternoon.
Apart from closing sections of major roads and freeways to allow the superload through, Vicroads crews helped the transport get safely around corners, temporarily removed signs and lights and ensured steel supports were over drains before putting everything back in place.
Murra Warra Wind Farm communications officer Susan Findlay-tickner said the load had been so heavy it needed one truck to pull and another one to push.
“The site is certainly transforming. The last of the 61 concrete tower bases was poured on Monday and all roads at the farm have been completed,” she said.
Parts have been making their way to the site from Portland and four towers are already up and transforming the vista of the Kalkee plains.
Expectations are that the last parts of the 61-tower first stage of the farm will be on site by the end of March.
“Watching the towers go up has been fascinating. It’s a very interesting process watching it all come together,” Ms Findlay-tickner said.
Construction of the farm is scheduled to be complete in the third quarter of 2019.
By that time, as each section comes on-line, the farm would have already been producing electricity.
• The Weekly Advertiser videoed the procession of trucks and emergency management as it passed through Horsham.
People can visit www.theweekly advertiser.com.au to view the footage. It is also available to watch on The Weekly Advertiser’s Facebook page.