'Sad day' for farmers at last Warrnambool sale

Cavendish farmers Pam and George Coates said they had put more than $500,000 worth of cattle sales through the Warrnambool yards this year alone.

"They're going to miss out on all this," Mr Coates said.

"It's all gone. And that's only us, that's not anyone else. They're going to miss out."

The couple has been coming to the Warrnambool saleyards for decades, ever since the F1 sales started at the Caramut Road site.

"We used to go to Camperdown but when Warrnambool started their F1 sales we came here," Mrs Coates said.

"We come here and we're very disappointed because you've got your tractor dealers close by.

"And then we'll go into Warrnambool and have dinner at a hotel and do a bit bit of retail therapy. Well that won't happen now."

The couple said they haven't decided which saleyards they would now switch to.

"We'll follow the agent where he goes, otherwise we'll have to start going back to Camperdown, but it's a long way and it's a lot more cartage," Mrs Coates said.

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Mr Coates said he was disappointed with the council.

Mrs Coates questioned why the council had let the facility get run down.

"Where's all the yard dues gone? Why hasn't it been maintained?," she asked.

"Hamilton has been able to do it, get government grants. They've got good quality sheep yards and now the cattle yards. They've done the hard work."

Casterton farmer Chelsea Carter has been coming to the F1 sales at Warrnambool most years, and also visits her father Phil Hawker who retired her about 22 years ago.

"It's a bit sad really. Can't believe it," Mr Hawker said.

He said the council had only just recently roofed part of the facility, "and now they're pulling it down."

Mr Hawker said the closure this week had "shocked a few" people.

Ms Carter said the closure had made it trickier.

"We don't really want to go further on that's for sure," she said.

"We tend to do a lot of shopping when we come here and I guess that's going to probably hit the economy here in Warrnambool - whether they realise that or not I don't know."

Warrnambool's Tim Healey has been coming to the saleyards for 38 years.

"It's a sad day," he said.

The HF Richardson livestock agent said he would now go to Camperdown, Mortlake, Colac and Ballarat.

"We'll keep going," he said.

"There's a lot of good memories. We've done a lot of things here."