Victoria Identifier: 4430
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DUNDONNELL WIND FARM TRANSMISSION POWERLINE HISTORIC HERITAGE ASSESSMENT (HV No. 4430) Sponsored by Trustpower Australia Holdings Pty Ltd 7 August 2014 Prepared by Cultural Heritage Advisors Andrea Murphy & Dr Tom Rymer rchaeology t TARDIS cultural heritage advisors PO Box 776 Beaconseld, VIC 3807 www.aatardis.com.au HISTORIC HERITAGE ASSESSMENT - HV No. 4430 ASSESSMENT - HV No. HERITAGE HISTORIC DUNDONNELL WIND FARM TRANSMISSION POWERLINE HISTORIC HERITAGE ASSESSMENT Heritage Victoria Identifier: 4430 Sponsor: Trustpower Australia Holdings Pty Ltd Heritage Advisors: Andrea Murphy & Dr Tom Rymer (Archaeology At Tardis Pty Ltd) CHMP Authors: Andrea Murphy & Dr Tom Rymer Completed: 7 August 2014 The intellectual property within this report and the primary research material therein are the property of Archaeology At Tardis Pty Ltd and may NOT be used, reproduced or distributed in any way without prior written consent of Archaeology At Tardis Pty Ltd. Any advice and/or opinions offered within this report by Archaeology At Tardis Pty Ltd does not constitute legal advice or represent those of any third party. The report remains the property of the Sponsor. It may NOT be used, reproduced or distributed in any way without the written consent from the Sponsor. i ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Dundonnell Wind Farm Pty Ltd (DDWFPL) – a wholly owned subsidiary of Trustpower Australia Holdings Pty Ltd (Trustpower) is seeking approval for the construction and operation of the Dundonnell Wind Farm Project. This historic heritage assessment (HHA) was prepared in order to manage historic heritage, if present, in the Dundonnell Wind Farm Transmission Powerline (hereafter referred to as the Activity Area) in compliance with the Heritage Act 1995 and the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Map 1). Trustpower Australia Holdings Pty Ltd commissioned this HHA. Andrea Murphy and Tom Rymer from Archaeology At Tardis Pty Ltd (AAT) prepared this report. A 220 kilovolts (kV) overhead transmission powerline is proposed to connect the Project to the 500kV Heywood-Moorabool network via a terminal substation located on land adjacent to the Mortlake Gas Power Station (MOPS), approximately 38km southwest of the wind farm site. The Mortlake Gas Power Station is located approximately 12km west of Mortlake. The Activity Area comprises a total length of approximately 38km (Map 1). It is situated within the municipality of Moyne Shire, Parishes of Terrinallum, Eilyar, Ligar, Toorak, Hexham East and Connewarren, and the County of Hampden. The proposed activity includes, without limit: 1. Power poles 2. Electrical substation 3. Access tracks 4. Temporary construction compounds BACKGROUND INFORMATION – DESKTOP ASSESSMENT (SECTION 2) The desktop assessment reviewed the environmental background (Section 2.1) including geology, landform and climate as well as vegetation and fauna; the historical background (Section 2.2), the archaeological background (Section 2.3) including previous archaeological reports, heritage studies and heritage registers. Consultation is yet to occur with the local historical society and Moyne Shire Council. The background information was used to formulate the following site prediction model (Section 2.3.3, Table 3): Desktop Assessment Historic Cultural Heritage Sensitivity Model (Table 3) Period Places & Location Sensitivity Homesteads, staff quarters & outbuildings Unlikely Pastoral Era & Estates Shepherds huts & stockyards (mid 19th century) Dry stone walls (stony rises) Likely Early Selection & Freehold Houses & sheds (close to roads), farming Likely (low) (mid to late 19th century) infrastructure (entire Activity Area) Closer & Soldier Settlement Houses & sheds (close to roads), farming Likely (low) (late 19th century to 1950s) infrastructure (entire Activity Area) The desktop assessment demonstrated that (Section 2.4): 1. There are no registered historic places within the Activity Area. iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2. It is reasonably possible that historic archaeological sites and heritage places are present. 3. There is potential for the project to impact unknown historic heritage. FIELDWORK – SURVEY ASSESSMENT (SECTION 3) A survey was conducted by Tom Rymer (AAT) between 2 and 6 December 2013. Ground surface visibility varied but was typically very poor (0-10%). The lack of tree and shrub vegetation enabled the visibility of ground contours and, therefore, potential evidence of historic structural remains (eg footings & other subsurface features). It is estimated that over 95% of the Activity Area was effectively surveyed for historic heritage values. Dry stone walls and road culverts at the intersection of Castle Carey Road and Hamilton Highway were recorded during the ground surface survey. Historic Heritage (Table 4, Map 5) Section Place Name Registration Period No registrations submitted Pastoral Runs & 3.4.1.1 Dry stone walls (No registration recommended) Estates Castle Carey Road No registration submitted 3.4.1.2 1860s onwards Culverts (No registration recommended) CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE (SECTION 4) Historic heritage was assessed as having the following significance and archaeological potential: Historic Heritage Summary of Significance & Archaeological Potential (Table 5) Archaeological Place Historic Social Aesthetic Scientific Potential 3.4.1.1 Local None None Low None Dry Stone Walls 3.4.1.2 Local None None Low None Castle Carey Road Culverts INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION (SECTION 5) The lack of historic heritage primarily reflects the linear nature of the Activity Area. Dry stone walls and the Castle Carey Road culverts were the only historic heritage identified during the investigation. The dry stone walls demark landowner and paddock boundaries originally associated with the early large estates of Mount Violet and Mount Fyans. Many continue in use today and mark the boundary of properties and paddocks. Today, most of the families of the original settlers and subsequent soldier settlers have left the land. Farm properties have passed through various hands according to economic and family circumstances. The road culverts are representative examples for roads built in the district from the 1860s. iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS (SECTION 6) The legislative requirements at the local, state and commonwealth government level were presented. All historic archaeological sites are protected under the Heritage Act 1995 whether formally recorded or not. Dry stone walls are listed under the particular provisions of the Moyne Shire Planning Scheme (Clause 52.37) and a permit is required to demolish, remove or alter a dry stone wall constructed before 1940, apart from when installing a gate or reconstruction of damaged or collapsing walls which are undertaken to the same specifications and using the same materials as the existing walls. IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND (SECTION 7) The impact of the transmission line on the ground surface of the Activity Area is minimal being restricted primarily to fixing poles into the ground and clear and grade for the terminal station. Only dry stone walls and road culverts were identified in the Activity Area. These are unlikely to be impacted by the development because pole locations will typically avoid these historic features. Vehicles using Castel Carey Road are unlikely to harm the stone culverts. No historic heritage is known at the proposed terminal station location. This investigation has demonstrated that the activity is unlikely to harm known or unknown historic heritage. PRELIMINARY MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS (SECTION 8) In relation to historic heritage in the Activity Area, the following recommendations are made: 8.1 No Historic Heritage Requires Consideration for Inclusion on the Australian Heritage Database No historic heritage requires consideration for inclusion on the Australian Heritage Database. 8.2 No Historic Heritage Requires Consideration for Inclusion on the Heritage Victoria Database (Register or Inventory) No historic heritage requires consideration for inclusion on the Heritage Victoria Database (Register or Inventory). 8.3 Historic Heritage and the Moyne Shire Planning Scheme Dry stone walls are protected and managed under the Clause 43.01 of the Moyne Shire Planning Scheme. Any future heritage study conducted by Moyne Shire may consider the dry stone walls and Castle Carey Road culverts appropriate for inclusion on the Moyne Shire Planning Scheme Heritage Overlay. No further work in regards to these heritage values is required by the Sponsor. 8.4 Avoid Harm to Known Historic Heritage The activity should avoid harm to dry stone walls and Castle Carey Road culverts. v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8.5 Dry Stone Walls Harm to dry stone walls should be avoided by using existing tracks and gates in the Activity Area. If harm cannot be avoided, no Permit is required from Moyne Shire for the purposes of installing a gate (pursuant to Clause 52.37, Moyne Shire Planning Scheme). A Permit will be required for any other breaches of a dry stone wall. Harm to any dry stone wall should be based on the following principles: 1. In the first instance, sections of dry stone wall in the poorest condition must be considered for gate and access track locations. Dry stone wall condition must be determined by an historic archaeologist. Typically, these comprise sections where only the basal course or only loose stone remains. 2. Damage to the original dry stone fabric must be mitigated by the reconstruction of walls and wall terminals to the same specification and traditional style as the existing walls and