The APA owned Basslink electricity interconnector spans a total of 370 kilometres, from George Town in Tasmania, across Bass Strait to Gippsland where it connects with the Victorian electricity grid at Loy Yang. Basslink have easements which accompany the 65 kilometres of overhead line and 8 kilometres of underground cable in both Tasmania and Victoria.

What is an easement?

A corridor of land, or ‘right of way’, for infrastructure is secured by an easement. An easement confers a right to a third party, in this instance Basslink, to gain access to private property used or occupied by its infrastructure. It is acquired for a specific purpose. However, the registration of an easement over private land does not affect land ownership - the landholder continues to own and have rights over the land affected by the easement.

For Basslink, easements have been established for the transmission line and underground cable. Additionally, there are also easements for access, for example where it is not appropriate to access a tower along the infrastructure easement.

The average width of an easement for Basslink’s overhead transmission line is 55 metres. The easement allows for the swing of the lines due to wind, plus vegetation and electrical safety clearances.

The width of the easement for Basslink’s underground cable is 11.5 metres.

Further advice can be found in Basslink’s living with easements brochure, a copy of which can be downloaded here: 

Living With Easements Brochure.

 

If you require an urgent response, for example to a downed transmission line or notice suspicious activity, please contact our easement hotline:

                                          Basslink Easement Hotline: 1800 011 165

Additionally, if you have any doubt about what you can or cannot do on any of Basslink’s easement, please do not hesitate to also contact us via our easement hotline for clarification.

 

If you are preparing to dig any type of excavation, remember to contact Before You Dig Australia at www.byda.com.au or call on 1100. Damage to underground assets is not only costly, it can also be extremely unsafe and may lead to death or severe disability.