Editorial: Farewell to old sale yards
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WODONGA’S replacement saleyards at Barnawartha North will host its first sale next month after the final new year feature sales at Bandiana started yesterday.
Almost 5000 cattle passed through the yards at the annual premier weaner sale ahead of another 3500 to be sold today.
The sale, hosted by agents Corcoran Parker, Elders and Landmark, attracted one of its biggest crowds as the curtain starts to come down on the yards which opened in 1980.
Trevor Parker, of Corcoran Parker, confirmed the first sale at Barnawartha North would be on February 12.
It will bring an end to a controversy about the yards which has raged in the local cattle producing areas since the mid-2000s, when plans by Wodonga Council to privatise the saleyards operation were revealed.
The council sold the saleyards business to Palisade Investments in 2008, with associated company Regional Infrastructure operating them on lease until the replacement yards were completed.
Mr Parker said a decision to hold the feature new year sales at Bandiana rather than Barnawartha North was the correct move.
“We didn’t really want to take the chance of having teething problems,” he said.
“But it will be a lot better for the stock and people.
“They will be walking around on dirt floors rather than the concrete we have here.
“It will also have a roof over it, but time will tell how it goes.”
Rosewhite producer David McDonald, who sold more than 100 young cattle yesterday, agreed.
“It will certainly be better for the cattle,” he said.
“We’ve had trouble with cattle’s feet after being sold on the concrete here.”
But any emotion about the end of an era at the yards named after former council engineer Bill Page was overshadowed by a surge in prices.
Some farmers reported increases of more than $200 on last year’s prices.
But Mr Parker did admit there was some sentiment attached to the pending move.
“It has been a big part of my life,” he said.
“The same goes for the Gerard Unthanks, Mike Scollards, Stephen Paulls, Kevin Corcorans.
“The older blokes have retired now, but the ones our vintage have pretty much spent our working lives in these yards.”