A 46-year-old Vietnamese man has admitted to growing a portion of the 205 cannabis plants found at a Black Hill property in 2017.
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Police raided the Sweeney Street property on December 20, locating 205 plants of varying sizes and maturity weighing about 100 kilograms.
The sophisticated hydroponic cannabis crop was growing in various rooms in the house and shed.
On Thursday at the County Court in Ballarat, Dam Van Nguyen pleaded guilty to cultivating 73 cannabis plants.
The prosecution said Nguyen nursed the plants on November 10, 2017 - the day a police sergeant saw two Vietnamese men attend the house.
A police investigation revealed a hand-print found on a door matched the left palm print of Nguyen.
He was arrested on December 27 at a Caroline Springs address.
Defence barrister Neil Howard said his client attended the grow house on the premise he was invited to help drive an associate around.
He said Nguyen's visas had expired and he intended to move back to Vietnam with his wife and daughter.
Judge Frank Gucciardo will sentence Nguyen in Ballarat on August 23.
He has been in custody for 597 days.
