News

Western Victorian Livestock Exchange receives green light

Beef Central 30/01/2017

Construction of the new Western Victorian Livestock Exchange (WVLX) selling centre near Mortlake in the state’s Western Districts could get underway as soon as March, following important approval steps from the local Moyne Shire Council and Environmental Protection Agency last week.

WVLX logo(nosheep)The Moyne Shire Council voted unanimously in favour for the construction of the selling complex, with the $15 million infrastructure project given the green light at the latest Council meeting. Draft license conditions have also been received from the EPA. The EPA must now make a decision to either approve or refuse to issue a works approval by 4 February.

The project’s backers propose to construct and operate a saleyard with a design throughput of 200,000 cattle per year at the corner of Hamilton Highway and Connewarren Lane, on the western outskirts of Mortlake.

A 77ha site has been purchased for the development, with B-Double access to the Hamilton Highway.

The initial design includes 388 selling pens, all fully-covered, designed to provide holding capacity for 5760 weaners or 3500 grown cattle equivalents. Proponents propose to hold a weekly domestic and export trade cattle sale each week, and a fortnightly store sale.

WVLX director Rohan Arnold said his group had been working closely with the Moyne Shire Council for the last 14 months and the council decision moved the project one step closer to commencing construction.

“We still need to finalise our statutory approvals with the EPA and in the coming weeks will meet with all stock agents in the area to get their input into the project, finalise the design and discuss operational matters. It’s an exciting time for Western Victoria,” he said.

Up to 100 jobs will be created during the construction of the facility, which anticipates an annual throughput of 175,000 head of cattle, drawing livestock from a catchment area extending to Geelong, Mount Gambier and Ballarat.

 

 

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  1. peter groves, 30/01/2017

    What a joke … it will never get enough support or numbers !

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