The planned Western Victorian Livestock Exchange (WVLX) at Mortlake should sell its first cattle by the end of the year, after final approvals for the project were granted late last week.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) granted approval to SELX Operations to build and operate the saleyard, which is eventually expected to have a throughput of 200,000 cattle a year.
EPA development assessments manager Tim Faragher said the EPA comprehensively examined the application, in line with the Environment Protection Act 1970, relevant state environment protection policies and guidelines.
“The assessment also considered four public submissions that were received during the public comment period and considered the views expressed by the local community at an information session held in November last year,” Mr Faragher said.
“The key environmental concerns raised by the public were around potential odour, noise, and surface water and groundwater impacts.”
The developers of the project, on the corner of the Hamilton Highway and Connewarren Lane, are a group of five farming families and one solicitor for the Yass district in New South Wales.
Spokesman NSW stock agent, livestock trader and Yass farmer Brendan Abbey said EPA approval was “fantastic”.
“All the approvals are on schedule and what we were after, so we are still on schedule to start earthworks in March,” Mr Abbey said.
It was aimed to have the first sale at the complex by the end of the year.
“We are building it to sell a couple hundred thousand cattle a year, but it will have a ramp up period of one to two years,” he said.
The initial design is for 388 selling pens – fully covered – with holding capacity for 5760 weaners or 3500 grown cattle equivalents (cows or bullocks).
It was proposed to hold one trade, bullock and cow sale each week, with fortnightly store sales.
Mr Faragher said the EPA determined the environmental risk posed by the proposal was considered acceptable and had issued a works approval with conditions.
The works approval conditions included:
- final designs for wastewater treatment system and wetland be submitted for approval prior to commencing construction
- commissioning and contingency plans be submitted for approval prior to commencing commissioning
- an operational environment improvement plan (EIP), including monitoring, compliance review and corrective actions be submitted for approval prior to commencing commissioning
The EPA approval followed the green light from the Moyne Shire council.
Moyne mayor Cr Jim Doukas said it appeared concerns, raised by local residents, had been met.
“We have had a couple of meetings with the proponents and an on site meeting with objectors,” Cr Doukas said.
“The outcome was pretty good,” Cr Doukas said.
He said work would start immediately on planting trees to screen the saleyards, rather than waiting until most of the construction had been completed.
The combined council and EPA planning approvals cover the 76 hectare site, which will include 23,000 square metre roofed yards.
There will also be a central amenities building with offices and a café, parking and a truck wash-down area for four vehicles.
The site will also include a maintenance shed, feed store, and surface water wetland and treatment ponds to capture and treat wastewater for use on 26ha of irrigated ground.
