FIRST NATIONS SOLAR FARM: THE FIRST OF MANY? Aboriginal-owned land in the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria is to be developed into a 5MW grid-connected solar farm that will power local businesses and deliver gains to the local indigenous community.
Mark Munnich, General Manager Community Services (right) pictured with Andrew Dimarco. The Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation (Ramahyuck) is a financially secure, well-run Corporation possessing strong governance and a stable and experienced management team. Ramahyuck was established to improve social, health and economic outcomes for Aboriginal people in the Gippsland region of Victoria.
36 SUMMER 2021
A 16-HECTARE FARM that has sat idle for many years is to be put to good use as a solar farm which will take on a level of local importance as well as national significance. On completion the 4.9MW development led by the Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation will notch up many firsts: it will the first grid-connected solar farm on Aboriginalowned land in Victoria, and the first wholly owned and operated by First Nations people. Another key point of difference is the project is not being driven by profit, instead the income generated is earmarked to fund social and emotional well-being needs of the local Aboriginal community, with health, education and employment top priorities. Discussions over the proposal have taken place over several years and, as Ramahyuck’s Andrew Dimarco has found, the physical construction of the solar plant itself will take far less time than the planning. “Ironically, perhaps, construction is the quickest once all due diligence and governance is taken care of,” the General Manager, Economic Development told Smart Energy. “All being well, the solar farm could be up and running late in 2022, pending an anticipated mid-year commencement of the build.” The date is significant, coming 30 years after the Ramahyuck property was established back in 1992 with the intention of one day reducing reliance on the government by providing for the local community. And the benefits will flow from get-go, with 40 jobs created during construction providing opportunities for Aboriginal employment and training in the fast-growing renewable energy sector and many ongoing roles, Andrew said, emphasising the development of a skilled local workforce. Electricity sales from the solar farm will ensure a
sustainable income stream for two or more decades and provide key outcomes for the Aboriginal community, including funds for school and tertiary student scholarships; employee training; a health practitioner operating from a fully serviced clinical room and/or resources to provide culturally safe health services in a patient’s home; a dental chair to provide free dental treatment for Aboriginal patients; and for two mental health clinicians, together with the required operational funds for domestic violence prevention and alcohol and other drug dependency management services. “The aim is to have sufficient funds to recruit extra staff for health practitioners for clinics as well as sufficient income for refurbishment of buildings and sites we own that are in need of upgrades so they are fit for purpose,” said Andrew whose background is in funding management in health, agriculture and other industries and found his foray into renewables “a steep learning curve”. It is an industry that he now recognises as delivering widespread benefits.
Spreading the good word “We believe others will flock to Ramahyuck income stream… the solar farm has the potential to be a template for other Indigenous organisations around the nation. “They are watching us with great interest as a test case – there are vast tracks of Aboriginal owned land across Australia which are not being put to use and the owners could learn a lot from the success of the Ramahyuck solar farm.” Given the journey to date, Andrew’s skills in driving the process from inception could be put to good use with him taking on a mentoring role for those with similar aspirations. Advice would include information on avenues leading to grant providers, the lengthy list of agencies and their programs at both state and federal levels, Aboriginal Community infrastructure and other funding sources and models including debt finance. It’s a long and complex road to navigate.
The journey In the case of Ramahyuck, momentum kicked off three years ago when the land’s potential as a solar farm was recognised, and from there followed a series of discussions and feasibility studies that concluded a five to six megawatt solar farm was appropriate, Andrew explained. A federal government agency was contacted which resulted in some funds for the
