A new shipping service to King Island is proving a winner for the community’s cattle producers, providing speedy, quality stock to Tasmania’s meatworks.
The Go Lesath, run by Launceston based shipper LD Shipping, has improved the ability of producers to get cattle and sheep on, and off, the island.
A senior executive with one of Tasmania’s major meat processors, Greenham, has praised LD Shipping owner Les Dick for putting the Go Lesath on the King Island route.
Livestock manager Graeme Pretty said there had been some negativity around the introduction of the service, but it had proven its worth in the last month. “But we’re really happy with the results. Some producers actually recorded 100 per cent MSA compliance for the crossing and the cattle came in as relaxed as I’ve ever seen in my time,” Mr Pretty said. “Producers are able to earn up to a $160 premium per head if their cattle grade MSA.”
He said the service was “absolutely perfect” for a small island community, like King Island.
“Les has proven himself by doing several trips now, he’s gone into Bell Bay, Port Welshpool (Vic), Stanley and Devonport, even to Flinders Island, where he has picked up cattle.”
Mr Pretty said Tasmania’s other major processor, JBS, was also shipping cattle off King Island.
“It’s not about collusion, or anything silly like that, it’s about sharing the service,” he said. Mr Pretty said on average the Go Lesath was carrying 440 cattle each trip.
He said the journey from King Island to Smithton took less than 13 hours.
LD Shipping chief executive Les Dick said it was disappointing there was still opposition to the introduction of the Go Lesath.
Some islanders appeared to be hoping for a bigger vessel, to replace the SeaRoad Mersey, due to come off the King Island run later this year
“There are still a large contingent of people who are actively against small boats,” Mr Dick said. “There are a lot of people around who still have their head in the sand and refuse to acknowledge we are doing any good.”