Yarra Council Gets on Front Foot with Gas Transition Plan

The start of the year has brought new resolve to tackling climate change with the City of Yarra in Melbourne announcing a plan to transition off gas.

An initiative, Wired for Tomorrow, led by the Yarra Energy Foundation will create a template for how an all-electric precinct can be developed. 

The Yarra Energy Foundation chose a precinct within the 3068 postcode for the initiative, which has a range of building types and services. 

Bordered on one side by the Merri Creek, 3068 encompasses Edinburgh Gardens, Darling Gardens, the Clifton Hill Station and interchange at Wellington Street. 

Yarra City Council mayor Edward Crossland said it was a necessary initiative to understand how energy was used across the precinct and the opportunities for transition. 

It is part of the council’s roadmap to achieve zero-carbon targets.

Stakeholders including developers will also be consulted as part of the initiative.

The announcement follows the gazetting of Amendment VC250 to the Victorian Planning Provisions, which bans gas connections to any new homes, apartments or subdivisions that require a planning permit.

▲ Sydney mayor Clover Moore drove a gas ban in that city last year.

That will now include any projects needing planning permission that have been submitted on or after January 1, 2024.

More recently, the City of Sydney implemented a gas ban on all new projects within its municipality after the NSW premier Chris Minns ruled out a statewide ban.