Access to reliable electricity is not a luxury - it's a fundamental right in modern Australia.  
 
But for those who reside in the Shire of Strathbogie, power outages are a regular occurrence simply because of where they live.  
 
Power is supplied to approximately 5000 customers across the townships of Euroa, Violet Town and surrounding communities via the BN11 Feeder. 
 
It’s the longest single-line feeder in AusNet’s Victorian network at more than 1200km. There’s no redundancy or alternative supply paths and it’s vulnerable to faults as it runs through bushfire-prone areas and difficult terrain. When the power goes out, it’s often out for hours or days as faults require physical inspection along the entire feeder line. 
 
This has a significant impact on households, business and industry, posing unacceptable community and economic risk and resulting in direct losses. 
 
AusNet has proposed the installation of an Express Feeder, which would significantly improve power reliability for a large area of the Shire. 
 
But the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), which must approve the funding, rejected those plans based on a cost-benefit analysis. 
 
AusNet is lodging a revised proposal again, which includes these important works, and Strathbogie Shire Council is urging the AER to reconsider the project using a more holistic framework that also includes social resilience, emergency management and regional equity, alongside financial metrics, when deciding which projects it will approve for the next five years.  
 
Rural communities should not be penalised simply because they are smaller in population but larger in vulnerability. 
 
Reliable energy infrastructure is essential for regional growth, safety and equity. 
 
The Express Feeder to supplement BN11 represents a critical step towards addressing long-standing power reliability issues in Strathbogie Shire.  
 
Strathbogie Shire Council calls on the AER to recognise the urgency and strategic importance of this project and approve AusNet’s revised proposal for the 2026-2031 regulatory period, specifically the inclusion of the BN11 Express Feeder upgrade. 

Please add your voice to our call by signing this petition. Let's keep the lights on in Strathbogie.