Restoration Work And Solar Power For Yarram’s “Grand Lady”

Victoria’s Wellington Shire Council is calling for tenders for restoration work at Yarram’s historic Regent Theatre, which will also soon be hosting a solar power system.

Situated on Commercial Road in Yarram, Regent Theatre and its two shops were built in 1930 at the cost of 20,000 pounds. It has seen a number of refurbishments since and a new restoration project  involves removing the paint and recoating the façade with a breathable finish to protect the render. The current paint isn’t breathable, which has resulted in the render to deteriorate in some spots.

Local MP Darren Chester said the Federal Government had ponied up $240,000 for the project as part of a $1 million funding package for Wellington to support local jobs and stimulate spending during drought.

“The Regent Theatre is a wonderful community asset for Yarram and the surrounding districts,” said Mr. Chester. “The drought has had a significant impact and businesses have also suffered from a downturn in visitor numbers due to the bushfires and the pandemic.”

The façade will freshen up the Regent Theatre’s look – but it will also soon be running cleaner.

Mr. Chester said Wellington Shire last month allocated $20,000 for solar panels to be installed at the theatre, but I wasn’t able to locate any further detail on the system. The cash for the installation has been provided from the Shire’s initial $3.1 million share of the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

Wellington Shire Council And Solar Power

In March 2020 Council endorsed its Sustainability Strategy 2020-24, which contains priorities and proposed actions for the next four years. Among the main themes:

• Working towards a target of net zero emissions by 2040
• Accelerating renewable energy uptake at Council and in the community
• Supporting electric vehicle uptake

Council already had around 160kW of solar capacity on its assets as at early this year and is considering significantly boosting this. The Strategy sets a goal of installing 400kW of solar PV across council buildings – or equivalent
carbon emissions reduction through alternative energy efficiency upgrades – out to 2024.

It will also investigate supporting the local renewable energy industry through purchasing renewable energy through Power Purchase Agreements.

There are several large scale solar facilities in the pipeline for the local government area, including the $2.6 billion Gippsland Renewable Energy Park – but there hasn’t been much news on that since last year. Wellington Shire Council also approved a planning permit for the development of a $40 million solar farm located north of Maffra back in 2018, but again there has been little further news since.

Council’s other solar-related activities have included partnering with Sustainable Australia Fund for the provision of low interest loans to local business to support uptake of environmental upgrades to buildings, including commercial solar. It also partnered with the Latrobe Valley Community Power Hub for the delivery of a bulk buy solar program.

Approximately 23.9% of dwellings in the Wellington Shire Council LGA have had solar panels installed, but uptake appears to be higher in Yarram. Council wants to increase the solar penetration rate across its area to 50% by 2050, in line with State Government Renewable Energy Targets.