SALEYARDS infrastructure owner/operator Regional Livestock Exchanges (RLX) has completed deals to purchase the Mortlake and Yass saleyards facilities in Victoria and southern NSW.

The new sites (Western Victoria Livestock Exchange – in Victoria’s Western Districts near Mortlake, and South-Eastern Livestock Exchange, between the NSW Southern Tablelands and Southwest slopes near Yass), came under RLX’s control for their weekly sales this week.

Work has been underway for some time on the transition of these sites into the existing network of eight sheep and cattle saleyards RLX already owns or operates across Eastern Australia.

The 12ha Western Victoria Livestock Exchange underwent a $15 million expansion project completed in 2018. With a roof spanning the size of the MCG and around 2300 tonnes of steel used to construct the 416 selling pens, the facility has the capacity to sell 3000 cattle a day. Extensive research into the design and functionality of the saleyards has achieved a world-class facility focused on animal safety and wellbeing, environmental sustainability and workplace health and safety.

Prime sales are held each Monday, with store sales held monthly.

The 16ha South Eastern Livestock Exchange (SELX) near Yass was constructed at a cost of $15 million. With a roof spanning five rugby fields and 86km of steel railing constructing 524 selling pens, the facility has the capacity to sell 3800 cattle and 30,000 sheep a day.

Brett Freer RLX

In a statement, RLX chief executive Brett Freer said the company was open to further acquisitions and investing in sites that it operates on behalf of other owners.

RLX develops regionally significant modern livestock facilities in strategic locations, chosen for stock numbers, transport efficiency and long-term sustainability.

There are now ten sites within the portfolio:

• Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange (CTLX) at Carcoar NSW
• Inverell Regional Livestock Exchange (IRLX) at Inverell NSW
• Hunter Regional Livestock Exchange (HRLX) at Singleton NSW
• Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange (TRLX) at Tamworth NSW
• South-eastern Livestock Exchange (SELX) at Yass NSW
• Central Queensland Livestock Exchange (CQLX) at Gracemere QLD
• Central Victorian Livestock Exchange (CVLX) at Ballarat VIC
• Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange (NVLX) at Barnawartha VIC
• Corangamite Regional Livestock Exchange (CRLX) at Camperdown VIC
• Western Victoria Livestock Exchange (WVLX) at Mortlake Victoria

Mr Freer said RLX was committed to a smooth transition of the new Yass and Mortlake sites for the benefit of producers, agents, buyers and the wider local community and saleyard users.

“RLX is already on the lookout for the next opportunity to own or operate saleyards that will benefit from the expertise, scale and access to capital that RLX can deploy to improve infrastructure and operations for saleyard users,” he said.

“Up and down the east coast, the team at RLX are continuing to focus on improving the quality our facilities and services offer to benefit agents, farmers, local communities, and the Australian agricultural industry.”

Source: RLX