The Corowa saleyards are getting an upgrade despite new saleyards being built just over the river
COROWA saleyards are being upgraded despite talk of a new regional centre over the river.
COROWA saleyards are being upgraded despite talk of a new regional centre across the river.
Work has already started on the new Northern Victorian Livestock Exchange, which is expected to take over from the Wodonga cattle saleyards next year.
And while there is a permit for sheep at the new facility at Barnawartha, there are no plans yet to build sheep yards.
Corowa Shire Council general manager Chris Gillard said he was aware some people wanted a new set of saleyards at Corowa in NSW with an expected price tag of about $1.5 million.
But with a lack of external funding, this was deemed impossible.
There was also the risk that if Corowa committed to a new set of yards, they could be usurped by the new Barnawartha facility.
Instead, the Corowa Shire Council has committed to upgrade all loading ramps at the centre to make the saleyards more usable.
The Corowa saleyards is now one of the biggest sheep-selling centres in NSW, and is set to sell more than 700,000 sheep this financial year.
“We expect that the money we have spent to upgrade the yards will be recouped from the profits from the yards within 18 months,” Mr Gillard said.
Mr Gillard said the throughput in the Corowa yards had risen from 500,000 about 18 months ago to the predicted 720,000 sheep for this financial year.
Footings for the new ramps have already been built.