The Warrnambool saleyards’ plan to spend about $500,000 on a roof over part of the facility is a good investment despite the threat of competition from a new private centre at Mortlake, a beef producer says.
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Owen O’Keefe, a producer representative on Warrnambool City Council’s saleyards advisory committee, said he expected the saleyards being built at Mortlake would be more of a threat to the saleyards being built at Ballarat than to Warrnambool.
“Mortlake will attract stock from a much wider radius, especially north of the Hamilton Highway, that currently goes to Ballarat,” Mr O’Keefe said.
He said the Warrnambool saleyards had fared well against private cattle sales and online sales such as through AuctionsPlus, that were creating more competition than the Mortlake saleyards were likely to present.
Mr O’Keefe said he was confident that both the Warrnambool and the new Mortlake saleyards could co-exist.
Warrnambool council enjoyed strong support from stock agents, particularly locally-based ones, and the council, Mr O’Keefe said.
The yards were fully compliant with animal welfare requirements, were making a profit for the council and generating a lot of spin off revenue for other businesses in Warrnambool, he said.
The decision to roof part of the yards had not been made in response to the new Mortlake facility, which will have a roof, but had been “on the drawing board for about three years,” Mr O’Keefe said.
“The reason it has not happened is because the council has been reluctant to borrow money (for the project).
“It is being financed by surplus funds (from the saleyards),” Mr O’Keefe said.
