Pavilion Farms Anakie Anaerobic Digestion Project

Pavilion Farms Anakie Anaerobic Digestion Project is an alternative waste treatment project located at Anakie, approximately 25 kilometers north of Geelong in Victoria. Registered in June 2022, the project is situated on a poultry farming aggregation at 445 Carrs Road, nestled between the proponent's broiler farms. The surrounding region is characterized by the volcanic plains of the Western District, featuring agricultural land use primarily focused on cropping, grazing, and intensive poultry operations.

The project operates under the Alternative Waste Treatment (AWT) methodology, which involves diverting mixed solid waste, specifically organic material that would otherwise decompose in landfills, into a treatment facility. By processing this waste through anaerobic digestion, the project captures the methane generated during decomposition. In a standard agricultural setting, this usually involves utilizing animal effluent or food waste to produce biogas, which is then combusted to generate renewable electricity and heat, converting potent methane into less harmful carbon dioxide.

Environmentally, the Anakie region sits within a temperate zone with relatively low to moderate rainfall, averaging between 450mm and 550mm annually. The local soil composition is typically clay loam, consistent with the basaltic origins of the Victorian Volcanic Plain. These heavy soils are fertile but can be prone to waterlogging, making the controlled management of nutrient-rich waste streams particularly important for local land health.

This facility is designed to support a "circular farming" model for Pavilion Farms, one of Australia's largest broiler producers. The anaerobic digesters process approximately 20,000 tonnes of chicken litter (manure and bedding) from the on-site sheds alongside 10,000 tonnes of imported food and organic waste. The resulting biogas is used to generate approximately 21,000 MWh of electricity per year to power the farms and export to the grid, while the solid byproduct is converted into a pathogen-free organic fertilizer.