Editing French Island (Victoria) (section)

==Proposed nuclear power plant site==
In mid 1967, the [[State Electricity Commission of Victoria]] (SECV) applied to the Lands Department for the reservation of {{Convert|400|acre|km2}} of French Island for future construction of a nuclear power plant. The plant was speculated to have 350-500MW generator capacity and would likely have been built during the 1970s. Other plants around Australia were also envisioned after the construction of a successful, fully operational plant in Victoria. If the SECV did decide to construct a nuclear power station, it would have continued to construct [[Lignite|brown coal]] power stations as well for some considerable time.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://inside.theage.com.au/view_bestofarticle.php?straction=update&inttype=1&intid=540 |title=Our N-Power, Stephen Hall, The Age, 4 October 1967 |access-date=19 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317191652/http://inside.theage.com.au/view_bestofarticle.php?straction=update&inttype=1&intid=540 |archive-date=17 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Due to the low cost of brown coal in Victoria and mounting pressure from the anti-nuclear movement, the SEC subsequently decided against commissioning a nuclear plant and instead continued the commissioning of brown coal plants. These included the [[Hazelwood Power Station]], which was completed in 1971. Nuclear plants were not constructed in NSW as access to black coal allowed for bigger generators. The declaration of various areas of many Australian states as nuclear free zones was a key factor in the selection of coal plants over nuclear plants.

In 1982, the Cain Labor government in Victoria legislated to ban the building of nuclear power plants in the state.<ref>Bill Birnbauer, 'State will outlaw N-power plants' Melbourne ''Age'' 12 June 1982 p. 3</ref> In 1985, the SECV announced that its land at Red Bluff would be transferred to the National Parks service.<ref>'SEC Notebook' Melbourne ''Age'' 18 April 1985 p. 2</ref> This took place at a time when ferry services to the island had become unreliable, with the two small vessels (King Fisher and Port Hunter) breaking down regularly.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}} Because of the unreliability of access, land in the area was sold in 60 and 90 acre allotments for just $1,000 per acre.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}