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Geelong Saleyards
Geelong Saleyards reports and plans
Plans, reports and Council minutes relating to the operations and future of the facility.

The Geelong Saleyards was temporarily closed for sheep and cattle sales in August 2016 due to safety concerns with the condition of the facility.

A structural engineers report and an Occupational Health and Safety report identified risks to users and livestock.

At a December 2016 Ordinary Meeting of Council the Citys Administrators resolved to defer repair works on the facilitys cattle yards until:

  • An independent expert local stock market analysis is prepared.

  • A full costing of cattle yard works is developed based on a recently completed Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) audit inspection.

  • A regional agribusiness strategy is completed.

Following extensive Occupational Health and Safety works in January 2017 the Geelong Saleyards reopened for the sale of sheep only.

At a Special Meeting of Council on 2 August the Citys Administrators resolved to permanently close the Geelong Saleyards to the sale of sheep and cattle by 31 August 2017. 

From 30 July 2018 the poultry sales no longer operate at the Geelong Saleyards.

The Administrators also resolved to engage with transport operators to determine the future usage of a truck wash facility at the site.

Engineering and OHS Reports

 

Previous plans and studies

Timeline of decisions from recent Council meetings:

9 June 2015

The City’s Council adopted the following recommendations:

That Council:

  1. seek opportunities for savings in operation of the saleyards;
  2. actively identify potential uses of existing land and facilities outside normal saleyards operations;
  3. work with neighbouring Councils to identify and develop a suitable regional solution with the view to initiating a future staged withdrawal from saleyards operation. From the Council resolution June 2015

27 September 2016

The City’s Council adopted following recommendations:

That Council:

  1. reiterates the resolution of the previous Council to pursue a staged withdrawal of operations at the Geelong Saleyards;
  2. notes the extensive consultation undertaken by Council Officers which included producers agents regional saleyard operators and officers of the Surf Coast Shire Borough of Queenscliffe Golden Plains Shire and Colac Otway Shire;
  3. notes that it was unforeseen that the Saleyards would close due to safety concerns before a transition plan was developed for staged withdrawal;
  4. requests Officers to undertake additional consultation for further consideration at the 22 November 2016 Council meeting. From the Council resolution Sept 2016.

2 August 2017

The City Administrators adopted the following recommendations:

That Council:

  1. close the Geelong Saleyards to the sale of sheep and cattle by 31 August 2017
  2. inform neighbouring Councils and stakeholders of hte decision to close the Saleyards
  3. engage with the poultry sales operator who currently operates at the Geelong Saleyards to consider and determine the future of poultry sales at the Geelong Saleyards site
  4. engage with representatives of the livestock transport industry to consider and determine the future usage of the truck wash facility at the Geelong Saleyards
  5. engage with the community to develop a strategy to recognise the history of the Geelong Saleyards
  6. identify heritage elements to be retained at the Geelong Saleyards and to make safe the site by demolishing unsafe infrastructure
  7. develop a precinct plan for the Weddell Rd site incorporating the provision of public open space and
  8. thank members of the Geelong Saleyards Advisory Committee for their advice and input to the operations of the Geelong Saleyards since March 2017.