As we report on page 20, the first sod has been turned for a gas fired power station, to be built near Mortlake about 220km west of Melbourne. IT HAS PARTICULAR RESONANCE FOR ME, because I was born there and grew up on a farm a few miles out of the small agricultural town, now of about 1000 people. In fact half a century or so ago, the town was probably half as big again. It has steadily declined as farms become bigger and significantly more mechanised. So the advent of the power station, which will operate at peak times from gas piped in from Port Campbell on the south coast, will provide Mortlake with almost undreamt of prosperity. It has already translated into significantly increased property prices as some of the 350 people needed during a couple of year's construction, seek somewhere nearby to live. As well 100 people are building the pipeline from the coast.
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