Residents object to CVLX saleyard stench at Miners rest

THE new Central Victorian Livestock Exchange at Miner’s Rest is causing a stink among its neighbours.

Saleyard stink: The Central Victorian Livestock Exchange, located at Miners Rest, is causing a stink among its neighbours. Picture: Dannika Bonser

THE new Central Victorian Livestock Exchange at Miners Rest is causing a stink among its neighbours.

The Environmental Protection Authority confirmed they have received about 100 complaints about the “offensive odour” coming from the site — a situation that Committee for Miners Rest secretary Werner Oellering believed relates to the way in which the facility was cleaned.

Objections around excessive light pollution at night time and noise complaints were also aired at a meeting last week with local residents.

Mr Oellering said the meeting, which was closed to the media, drew a crowd of about 100 community members to hear from Regional Livestock Exchange’s staff about plans to rectify the issue.

“It’s all wind-dependent,” Mr Oellering said, explaining that the town was affected by the smell from the saleyards on days with a southerly or south-westerly wind.

“They cited a pump that failed and overflowed and the recent rains which have washed effluent into their holding ponds, so they’re concerned about the smell coming out of those.

“They were supposed to dry clean but they’re wet cleaning and that’s causing the odour.

“The old facility (La Trobe street, Ballarat) used to send all its liquid waste to the sewer farm and collect all solid waste after each sale. Here they’re storing and drying it and processing the liquid waste on site, and that’s not working.” AAM Investment Group manages and operates the CVLX facility and broader RLX portfolio, but does not own the facilities.

Its managing director, Garry Edwards, told The Weekly Times “there was an open discussion on some changes to procedures that will be made in the new year”, but did not provide further details.

Mr Edwards said nothing could reasonably be done to address objections to smells coming from the facility because “Miners Rest is located in a rural area and animal and farming smells are part of the normal landscape”.

Mr Edwards said a feedback line and email service had been set up to deal with matters raised by the community more effectively.

Asked why the meeting was closed to the media, he said CVLX was a private company operating a business on private land.

“It is important for the community to recognise this substantial change in circumstances so that the parties can respectfully interact together in an appropriate manner”, adding that the council was no longer involved in operations.

“To this end all meetings conducted by CVLX are private meetings in order to ensure that meaningful outcomes are achieved and that constructive discussions are not sidetracked by matters that do not concern the site or the business of the site.” The EPA said they would monitor the progress of the odour and take action if needed.