The far west celebrated in style at the official opening of the Le Lievre family's Yathonga Station's recently constructed six -stand shearing shed last week.
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More than 50 people from near and as far south as Nagambie, Victoria, took up the open invitation of the family supported by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) to attend the official opening last Wednesday.
Included among guests were AWI board directors Jock Laurie, Deloraine, Walcha, and Don Macdonald, Mullungeen, Wellington, who is also the Le Lievre's wool merchant, and CEO, Stuart McCullough.
The Victorians saw the design blueprint on the AWI website and decided to take the scenic drive uo through the western division for the opening.
Shears a-clicking at Yathonga
Stuart and Gabie Le Lievre opened their brand-new ultra-modern six-stand shearing shed doors at Yathonga Station to the public last Wednesday, attracting more than 50 people from the far west to central Victoria to the woolshed's official opening.
It was an opportunity quickly taken up by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Rabobank to support the Le Lievres at the station between Louth and Tilpa.
Attendees gained the opportunity to talk directly with the people involved in the shearing shed design as well as AWI CEO Stuart McCullough and staff, on the latest in wool research, development and marketing.
The shed design is based on the AWI supported shed project originated by Wellington and Dubbo shearing contractor Hilton Barrett, who gathered experienced shed staff, classers, shearers and woolgrowers to think-tank the safe handling shearing concept.
The final plans are now blueprints on the AWI website for all woolgrowers to utilise when ever they contemplate building a new shed.
Mr Barrett held two open days in the prototype shed he built at Dubbo during 2019 with more than 500 visitors attending.
The Yathonga Station shed is the fourth open day displaying the effectiveness of the new concept design.
The third open day was in Western Australia at Geoff Bilney's shearing shed, Brome Farm, Kojonup which attracted 350 people.
The Yathonga shed was built by a Mildura firm and fitted out by Jason McGaw from Dubbo.
The Le Lievres had already used the new shed and the set of yards that go with it.
"Over the past couple of years, there's been a lot of talk about liability, workers' safety, injuries and longevity in the shearing industry, and our old shed was just a disaster waiting to happen," Mr Le Lievre said.
"We found this particular design covered all the big ticket areas."
The biggest improvement was the efficiency of the shed.
"Our shearers have gone from probably 900 sheep a day in the old shed to at least 1050 and to say they were cruising was probably an understatement," he said.
The designs take an overall approach to flow of sheep, people and wool being vital, as well as considerations to worker safety, animal welfare and quality of wool preparation.
Key features in the Yathonga shed design include almost straight drag to the workstation reducing a shearer twisting, low catching pen doors, moveable down tube positions towards and away from the chute.
"Shed staff weren't "tripping over themselves and the shed was clean so our wool preparation was really good."
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