One young woman's mission to run 160km in protest of a big company's plan to install powerlines through the region has united family and community behind the cause.
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Kelly Conroy had planned to run the length of AusNet's proposed transmission route from Sydenham to north of Stawell on Friday.
After completing 103km in about 16 hours and experiencing intense fatigue from strong winds, she joined her parents in the support car to watch a group of family members join the challenge to help her meet her goal.
The more we can band together the stronger we will be and hopefully the better the outcome will be.
- Kelly Conroy
Ms Conroy's siblings, their partners, cousins and uncles ran varying distances in rain, strong wind and darkness from about 11pm on Friday to reach a combined team total of 230km.
Ms Conroy said she had to constantly tense and brace her body against the gusts of wind and ran crouched over with her head down most of the time.
"I was never really relaxed when I was out there but at the same time, I know it sounds cliche, me not being relaxed probably represents how many farmers and how many people within the communities between Sydenham and Stawell haven't been relaxed for the past 12 months since they received the letters," she said.
The family hopes the challenge has raised awareness about residents' concerns and fears with a new demographic of people in towns and big cities who may not be directly affected.
Pupils from St Brigid's Primary School in Ballan cheered for Ms Conroy from the front gate during the school day as she completed 21km laps of a set route.
Ms Conroy also raised more than $18,000 to support marketing, advertising and legal guidance and representation to campaign against the establishment of overhead powerlines.
"It is a great example of how the community continues to bond together in really rough times and how people put themselves outside their comfort zone in order to support people and get to a positive outcome," Ms Conroy said.
Father Archie Conroy's family farm in Ballan is within the 'corridor of interest' for AusNet towers.
He is calling for the power lines to be installed underground and for affected residents to be considered as stakeholders rather than protesters.
"At the end of the day it wasn't about me running a distance that was so long, it was about trying to find a different way we could expose the issue to the wider community that didn't really know about it already," Ms Conroy said.
"I think we achieved that. Hopefully it sparked a bit more hope in the community and a bit more passion to keep fighting.
"The more we can band together the stronger we will be and hopefully the better the outcome will be."
Ausnet has previously said it would continue consultation with the community on the Western Victorian Transmission Line project, which aims to connects renewables to the electricity grid.
It released a narrowed corridor of interest in June.
AusNet said full and partial undergrounding of the line would be investigated as part of the Environmental Effects Statement, which is expected to be complete in the next six to seven months.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
