The owners of the Victorian Livestock Exchange say expansions to the Leongatha saleyards are close to being completed to accomodate additional numbers following the final sale at the Pakenham saleyards last week.

VLE announced late last year that the Pakenham facility would close in June 2024, attributing the decision to escalating land taxes at its location on Melbourne’s eastern metropolitan fringe.

The Pakenham location was listed for sale at $30 million, with reports it has now sold for $25 million.

VLE managing director Brian Paynter (right) said new holding yards are being built at Leongatha for 2500 cattle which they hope to be finished within the next month.

“Part of the Victorian Livestock Exchange (VLE) master plan for the Leongatha saleyards, these holding yards will have soft flooring, and feeders on the outside rails,” he said.

He added that the $300,000 investment will make it easier to transition from sale to transport and provide the complex with additional capacity.

“These yards will make sure VLE Leongatha can handle 6000 cattle at any one time – sometimes even a few hundred more – ideal timing for those farmers looking to transition their cattle marketing from Pakenham to Leongatha.

“These new yards will have covered feeders along the outside rails which are easily accessible for the livestock and enable easier and faster pen cleaning.”

Other changes he said slated for VLE Leongatha as part of its master plan included:

• an additional 9000 square metres of undercover holding yards,
• a new four bay truck wash,
• truck driver amenities and tea rooms,
• truck fuel depot,
• new livestock agent offices with a board room,
• new maintenance shed and workshop and
• a 1500 square metre undercover sheep selling facility.

VLE Leongatha sold 160,000 cattle this financial year – up 26 percent from 2022/23 – ranking it has Victoria’s highest throughput saleyard.

He predicted VLE Leongatha could match the throughput of Australia’s largest selling centre, the Roma Saleyards in Queensland, if 80 per cent of the cattle sold at Pakenham moves across to Leongatha.

In a statement released by VLE, Elders Leongatha Branch Manager Rohan McRae said he was confident Leongatha’s established market could handle extra cattle from Pakenham and said winter was the ideal time for the transition.

“July and August are generally quieter and that gives us time to get the saleyards settled, with the infrastructure upgrades and work done to handle the extra numbers, before they really begin to arrive in spring and summer,” he said.

“Good, consistent lines of cattle brings buyers and I’m confident all the major buyers will continue to support Leongatha.”

Mr Paynter also said a decision has been made to split sales at Leongatha between agents, following  extensive discussions with agents, transporters and saleyards’ stakeholders.

Starting in August, Leongatha store sales will be split along the following lines:

• Nutrien/SEJ
• Elders/Alex Scott & Staff/Baw Baw Livestock/Phelan & Henderson & Co and ESB

The group of five agents will start on the first store sale in August, on August 1.

The following week Nutrien/SEJ will sell  on August 8.

Sales will continue to rotate on a fortnightly basis.

“Splitting the store markets is the best way to ensure consistent cattle numbers at the yards on a weekly basis. It will also help stock agents manage their workloads and the VLE with maintenance and staff rostering. VLE trusts this arrangement will be respected by all agents and everyone can get down to business,” Mr Paynter said.