The City of Geelong has temporarily closed the Geelong Saleyards to sheep and cattle sales due to safety concerns.
A recent condition report showed the elevated steel platforms to the cattle and sheep yards were at risk of collapse.
Geelong City Services acting general manager Vicki Shelton said it will likely cost a minimum of $250,000 to ensure the overhead walkways are made safe for use.
“Unfortunately there is significant decay of the supporting timber posts and it is an unacceptable risk,” Ms Shelton said.
“These elevated walkways are where the stock agents sell the stock from so they can see the buyers and the sheep cattle they are selling.”
She said the saleyards’ fortnightly sheep and cattle sales would be closed until further notice while an investigation into the occupational health and safety issues is conducted.
In the meantime, sellers and agents have been advised to use the Ballarat and Colac saleyards.
HF Richardson director William Richardson said his sellers were unhappy about having to sell their livestock at different saleyards.
“It’s already had an impact, we’ve had to send livestock to the Ballarat and Pakenham saleyards, which is an inconvenience for sellers,” Mr Richardson said.
Colac Otway Shire has said that it will waive the yarding fees for the next two months at the Colac Regional Saleyards for any farmers affected by the closure of the Geelong Saleyards, however Mr Richardson said his clients would not be selling there.
Charles Stewart livestock manager Peter McConachy said the closure was a long time coming.
“The OH&S issues have been a problem for a long time, and the council have finally decided that it’s too unsafe to operate in,” Mr McConachy said.
“It’s not going to be cheap to repair, but it’s got to be done.”
He said the closure was inconvenient, but that numbers at the saleyards had already been decreasing over the past couple of years.
“It will upset some people, because they’ve been selling there for a long time, but they’ve just got to utilise other avenues,” he said.
“Sellers who normally sell at Geelong sold at Colac and Ballarat last week, they were slightly annoyed, but it was ok.”
Ms Shelton said poultry sales will continue every Monday, and that the council would work closely with selling agents to explore safe methods of conducting sales at the site.
The council has given no indication as to when the investigations will be done.
