SALEYARDS infrastructure owner/operator Regional Livestock Exchanges will operate the council-owned Shepparton Regional Saleyards under a ten year lease arrangement.

RLX reached agreement with the owner, the Greater Shepparton City Council, to operate the Goulburn Valley yards from 1 January next year.

The agreement came out of a public expression of interest process that included input from a wide range of community stakeholders through the Council’s Saleyard Advisory Committee.

The ten-year deal will include an additional four options, each of five years.

Meat & Livestock Australia’s most recent annual Saleyards Survey showed that for the 2022-23 trading year, Shepperton ranked as Victoria’s fifth largest selling centre, accounting for 65,607 cattle, or 8.3pc of the state’s total. In the past five years, annual numbers have been as high as 106,000 head, or 10pc of Victorian saleyards turnover.

The fully-roofed complex sells cattle and calves each Tuesday, with a sheep and lamb sale Fridays. Five agents are currently listed as users.

RLX chief executive Brett Freer said Shepparton was a significant regional stock selling complex and RLX looked forward to working with Council to finalise terms of operation and with all Shepparton Regional Saleyards site users on improving operations for the benefit of the whole community.

Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, congratulated RLX saying his council had always been committed to getting the best outcome for the future of the facility.

In a statement, RLX said it had enormous confidence in the Australian agricultural industry and planned to continue developing regionally-significant and modern livestock facilities in strategic locations, chosen for stock numbers, transport efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

About RLX:

Regional Livestock Exchanges currently has nine sites in its 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
• Western Victoria Livestock Exchange (WVLX) at Mortlake VIC.

Source: RLX