NABIAC saleyards have been saved from closure after an agreement was struck today between the local livestock agents and MidCoast Council.
Work on the yards – which council had previously deemed unsafe, and not viable to upgrade or replace – will reportedly begin this week.
It is understood local agents Gooch Agencies will pay for the upgrades to the yards while council will upgrade the race and install the crush, and help with any machines to help rebuild the yards.
Council said the upgrades will allow Nabiac to host sales of limited capacity, but not dissimilar to what has been run.
The Great Lakes Advocate reported Gooch Agencies had leased the monthly Saturday market day from council for almost 10 years at the current rental amount of $320 for each sale day, and will foot the $100,000 bill for the work to turn the timber yards into fences of steel as per council’s requirements.
It is hoped stages one and two of the upgrade will be completed in time for the February 25 sale, with a June 2017 finish date for the entire project
Council controversially announced it would close the yards late last year via an email to local agents, despite having just met with them to discuss upgrades, and after having already confirmed saleyard dates for 2017.
Gooch Agencies had already ordered the steel needed to upgrade the yards and had started upgrading on one laneway before being told to cease work.
The sales planned for January 14 were moved to Gloucester and will be held on January 28.
Council originally said the estimated cost of $350,000 to bring the facility up to a standard for commercial use was not viable, and neither was the estimated $1 million cost to replace the facility and achieve the required licensing arrangements.
Locals had questioned council’s estimated costs and banded together in a bid to reverse the decision.
The community today also thanked Nationals’ Myall Lakes MP Stephen Bromhead for his advocacy on reopening the saleyards.
Between 400 and 600 cattle are sold through the Nabiac saleyards each month, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy through the sale and by attracting visitors to the community.
The closest saleyard facilities to Nabiac at Taree, 30 kilometres away, and Gloucester, 52km from Nabiac.
- With Rebecca Casson
