South-west producer hit by criminal damage

On the weekend, gates were destroyed, fences cut and stock troughs drained and wrecked at the Greenwald property of Georgina and Lucy Gubbins, causing an estimated $80-100,000 damage.

"It just doesn't make sense, (they) opened gates, cut gate latches, electric fences cut and dragged into paddocks, stock .. everywhere," Ms Gubbins posted on social media.

"We are devastated."

Warrnambool and Portland officer Detective Sergeant Jason Von Tunk said police were initially concentrating on CCTV footage, in the area.

"This is significant damage and it was definitely a targeted offence," Det Sgt Von Tunk said.

"There is also a nearby farmer, who has given us some information, for our lines of inquiry," Det Sgt Von Tunk said.

There had been no reports of similar damage, in the area, in recent years.

"I don't think even animal rights protestors do this sort of damage

"I'm not completely ruling it out, but it's not something I envisage protestors of that ilk would do."

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Ms Gubbins said she had absolutely no idea who had caused the damage.

"I don't know why such a person would want to do such a senseless, pointless act - there are no vehicle, or motorbike tracks, so the person has walked in.

"What I do want to say, and it needs to be emphasised, is how the community has come together - the offers of help we have had have been absolutely overwhelming."

She said a white Ford Ranger ute, with a trayback, had been spotted in the area at 1am on Saturday.

Ms Gubbins said while appeared no stock had been lost, although they were "absolutely everywhere."

The property was running about 20 dry sheep equivalent, per hectare.

Mains power had been lost, resulting in electric fences being knocked out of action.

"Stock are not respecting fences, so they are going to damage them in the meantime, as well.

"The person has cut the wire three, four, five six times, then dragged it out and twisted it.

"Everyone knows once you start straining twisted wires, they break - so we are looking at 11 kilometres of replacement fencing."

She said her farm manager alerted her to a problem early on Saturday afternoon, when he saw the mailbox on the Princes Highway had been removed.

"He thought that was a bit strange, so he thought he'd go around the boundary, which is the road.

"Just north of the cattle yards, he saw the boundary fence had been cut in two places."

Ms Gubbins said she went to the property to help her manager with the inspection.

She and the manager then found a boundary fence, on the Princes Highway, had also been cut.

"It was also a safety issue, for motorists, at that point."

Ms Gubbins said she then noticed a trough, which had no water in it.

"There were five troughs, that had no water in them, the top one had water running everywhere.

"The person had ripped the tin cover off the float and ripped the float out, dumping it a couple of hundred metres away, after totally pulverising it."

Shearing was due to start this week.

"If we bump the shearers, we might not get them back - it also fits in with breeding and animal health programs, in terms of fly strike."

Ms Gubbins said she was also concerned about staff welfare, as the damage occurred within a couple of hundred metres of the manager's house.

Farm Crime Coordination Unit head Inspector Paul Hargreaves said the attack was not 'normal' and the damage was not 'something I am familiar with.

"When it is, it's usually something sinister, because it is usually someone letting stock out.

"This one has been quite concerning, because not only have they done that, they have also drained water out of troughs, which can cause real harm to stock."

He said he was sure someone knew something about the incident.

'People don't usually commit these sort of actions in absolute silence, there is usually someone they speak to about it, or somebody knows something."

Det Sgt Tunks said police would be at the Warrnambool weaner sales and welcomed public input.