Have a say on the Warwick Saleyards

WARWICK Saleyards much stronger compared to Toowoomba than 30 years ago.

SALE ON: Sale action at the Warwick Saleyards this year. Picture: Candyce Braithwaite

DRY AS A BONE column in Bush Telegraph by Gerard Walsh - A lighter look at rural life

THE Southern Downs Regional Council has sent out a survey on the future management of the Warwick Saleyards, so here is our chance to speak.

I am not a fan of removing the toilets from the back of the Warwick Town Hall but can't really complain, I didn't respond when the council asked for an opinion or get around to talking to any councillors.

But the survey for the saleyards has been emailed on by one of the agents and I plan to add a few more comments other than the questions that were asked.

One of the first questions relates to how often we use the saleyards.

I haven't gone to find our account sales for the past 10 years to come up with an exact figure, so guessed six times a year.

One saleyards battle Warwick has won was with Toowoomba.

I can recall 30 odd years ago when Toowoomba had two booming saleyards operating and there were people from the Southern Downs area who sent cattle to Toowoomba.

There may be still one or two from here who sell in Toowoomba but the situation is completely different to when Toowoomba was a dominant selling centre.

There is a lot of cattle from the Clifton area and further north that is sold in Warwick when the cost of transport and fuel to get to each location is about the same, which says Warwick must be a good selling centre.

My father sold cattle through his agent Tom Leonard and then Don McGinness in Warwick.

He would never even think of another agent and most definitely not another selling centre.

From memory, I have sold one lot of store cattle in Inglewood and one lot in Stanthorpe but generally our selling centre has been Warwick.

We have sold some feeder steers direct to feedlots and a few cows and bullocks to works but I reckon 70 per cent of our cattle have gone through the Warwick Saleyards over the years.

The stand-off earlier this year over charges at the Casino Saleyards is not something we want here.

The council must ensure charges don't get out of hand and at the same time make sure the yards are upgraded to make the complex better for the cattle and the buyers, sellers, agents, yard staff and those just having a look.

There are only a few days until the survey closes, so make sure you get a copy or fill it out on the council website.

If we don't have a say now, it will be hard to complain when decisions are made.

Originally published as Have a say on the Warwick Saleyards