Murrindindi Shire Council’s redeveloped Yea Saleyards will be officially opened on Friday, March 9 at 09:15am.
Funds raised by council activities at the yards allowed council to match the funding provided by the Federal Government to complete stage two of the saleyards’ redevelopment, bringing the total funding for the project to $726,000.
Former Coalition Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss announced on December 7, 2015 a Federal Government investment of $363,000 to redevelop the Yea Saleyards.
The project was one of 111 projects across Australia to receive Federal Government funding, with work beginning on the upgrade in mid 2016.
Murrindindi Mayor Charlie Bisset said the $787,255 new and improved facility is expected to attract clients from across Victoria to buy and sell their livestock and create long-term social and economic benefits for the district.
“This upgrade has already delivered major benefits to its local districts and has ensured the Yea Saleyards’ long-term future.”
“It has ensured these [Yea] Saleyards’ retain their significance as a regional selling centre and has also provided flow-on benefits to our local community,” Cr Bisset said.
New features include 32 holding pens accommodating an additional 640 head of cattle with scales, scale house and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) scanner/
A fixed B-Double semi-trailer loading ramp and forcing pen and a roof to cover the new holding pens with lighting has also been installed under the new roof.
Bisset said in a Shire media release that investment in the yards with added infrastructure and services would lift their profile and see the Yea Saleyards becoming a competitive option for the industry in North East Victoria.
“These improvements are enabling us to provide a local and regional option for our district’s farming communities by reducing their transport costs and their animals’ time spent on trucks,” Bisset said.
“Along with the Saleyards’ increased capacity, the introduction of the combined weighing and scanning process has also provided local training and employment opportunities with 14 casual and part time workers engaged from the district.
“Twenty workers were also employed during the saleyards’ construction phase,” she said.
“The addition of new holding pens means cattle can be held for longer periods, both pre and post sale, freeing up our formal selling pens.
“The scales and scale house are now a key draw card for both vendors and buyers, adding to the existing advantages of selling and buying through the saleyards.
“Our fixed B-Double loading ramp was built in response to the increasing use of B-Double trucks now transporting cattle and will reduce potential injury risks associated with loading two decks of cattle.”
Cr Bisset said there were also the less tangible but no less important positive effects associated with the Saleyards – the social benefit they bring to our farmers.
“With increasing social isolation in rural communities, our Saleyards remain an important community tradition where local and regional farmers can connect with like-minded people.
“Their upgrade has consolidated the saleyards’ unofficial role as a place for our farmers to gather, ‘chew the fat’ and build their social networks.
“Council appreciates the support shown by the Federal Government through the National Stronger Regions Program for this important work and acknowledges the input of the Committee of Management which has been instrumental in the development of the upgrade plans,” Bisset said.
“The S86 Committee has worked extremely hard alongside Council and other stakeholders to get the project to this point and it is exciting to see that works are underway,” Bisset said in December 2016.
