What’s Happening in Horsham: Farm Frites, BCF and the Warracknabeal Wind Farm

Wind turbines pictured for illustration; not the proposed Warracknabeal Energy Park.

There's been plenty of local news lately about projects coming to Horsham and the wider Wimmera. Three stand out: the Farm Frites potato factory at Dooen, BCF's advertised Horsham store opening, and the large wind farm planned near Warracknabeal. Here's a plain-English update on where each one stands, based on what the companies, council and news outlets have published.

Plans and timelines can change, so we've listed our sources and dates at the end. This is general local news, not a forecast of what these projects will mean for property prices, rents or jobs.

Farm Frites potato factory at Dooen

The Weekly Advertiser reported on 30 September 2026 that the factory's main building structure had been completed. On 20 October 2026, Wimmera Mallee News reported that the plant was expected to start in March next year and that the company was running a second round of recruitment sessions.

Farm Frites says the factory will be able to process up to 250,000 tonnes of potatoes a year, sourced from growers in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, and will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The company expects about 150 ongoing full-time-equivalent roles by 2027 and a further 95 by 2031. Those are the company's own expectations, and actual numbers will depend on how the operation develops.

BCF on Hamilton Street

The outdoor retailer BCF (Boating, Camping, Fishing) has advertised a Horsham store opening. Wimmera Mallee News reported on 13 February 2026 that Horsham Rural City Council had approved a planning permit on 25 October 2025 for a commercial building at 48 Hamilton Street, with the development application also covering works at 31 Wilson Street.

Warracknabeal Energy Park

The same ABC report said Victoria's Planning Minister had given the project its final state approval, and that the federal decision under national environment law had been paused while the developer provided more information. When we checked the federal EPBC Act Public Portal on 9 November 2026, the project (EPBC 2023/09546) was listed as "Awaiting additional information".

In other words, the project still needs federal approval before it can go ahead. The ABC reported that the developer expects close to 950 jobs during construction. Not everyone is on board: the ABC also reported that Horsham Rural City Council's mayor has raised concerns about the effect of a large construction workforce on local housing, services and roads, and that some opponents argue the project depends on planned transmission lines that are yet to be built.

What this means if you own, rent or are thinking of moving

Big projects make headlines, but no one can say for sure what they will mean for a particular street or home, and we're not predicting prices, rents or how quickly properties will sell. If you're weighing up a move, a sale or an investment, the best starting point is the facts about the specific property, recent comparable results and a chat with people who know the area.

We'll keep an eye on these projects and share updates on this page when there's verified news to report.

Talk with the local team