Who owns Australia’s saleyards: Which big players are in the sector
The Weekly Times reveals who owns Australia’s livestock saleyards. See which big players are in the sector and who owns the most.
Saleyards handle millions of livestock each year and are a bustling meeting place for many in the livestock industry every week.
The Weekly Times’ special investigation into who owns Australia’s saleyards shows there are some big players in the sector.
While saleyards have become big business in the past decade or so, they are still mostly owned and managed by local councils. And they’ve had a lot of investment put into them to ensure they are up to date and safe to handle livestock and people.
AAM INVESTMENT GROUP
Managers and operators of the Regional Livestock Exchange. Garry Edwards is the founder and managing director of the AAM Investment Group Pty Ltd. In 2007, the company started the development, operation and management of a portfolio of livestock selling facilities on behalf of Australian Superannuation funds. The RLX network of livestock selling facilities currently handles more than 820,000 cattle and 2,340,000 sheep annually.
Central Queensland Livestock Exchange (CQLX), Gracemere, Queensland — sold 166,198 cattle or 14.7 per cent of state, in 2020-21 according to Meat and Livestock Australia’s annual saleyard survey.
Inverell Regional Livestock Exchange (IRLX), Inverell, NSW — sold 41,000 sheep and 46,000 cattle.
Hunter Regional Livestock Exchange (HRLX), Singleton, NSW — sold 27,390 cattle.
Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange (TRLX), Tamworth, NSW — sold 140,745 sheep and 101,215 cattle.
Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange (CTLX), Carcoar, NSW — sold 367,395 sheep and 63,885 cattle.
Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange (NVLX), Barnawartha, Victoria — sold 121,752 cattle.
Central Victorian Livestock Exchange (CVLX), Ballarat, Victoria — sold 54,513 cattle and 1,644,018 sheep (35.9 per cent).
Corangamite Regional Livestock Exchange (CRLX), Camperdown, Victoria – sold 19,221 cattle.
ARMIDALE REGIONAL COUNCIL
The Armidale Regional Livestock Selling Complex, on the NSW Northern Tablelands, is owned by council and leased to the Armidale Livestock Selling Agents. Last year 15,744 cattle were sold at the yards.
BEGA VALLEY SHIRE COUNCIL
The Bega Valley Saleyard, on the south coast of NSW, is owned by the local council, but operated under a land lease arrangement. Last year the council asked for expressions of interest to run the saleyards, however the organisation which has run it for the last 24 years, Sapphire Horizons Pty, returned to run it under a five-year lease arrangement. There were 20,261 cattle sold in 2020-21.
BERRIGAN SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Finley saleyards in the NSW Riverina. The Finley saleyards is managed by Scanclear. There were 71,086 sheep sold at the yards in 2020-21 and 11,209 cattle.
BLACKALL TAMBO REGIONAL COUNCIL
Owner of the Blackall Saleyards in Western Queensland. There were 104,087 cattle sold in 2020-21.
BOYD O’BRIEN BARTHOLOMEW MORETON SALEYARDS
Private owner of the Moreton Saleyards, located at Purga, near Ipswich in Queensland. The yards sold 7779 cattle in 2020-21.
BULOKE SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Wycheproof saleyards, which holds only store sheep sales. The yards had a throughput of 30,957 sheep in 2020-21.
BURNETT LIVESTOCK AND REALTY
The Burnett Livestock Exchange, located at Biggenden in the North Burnett region of Queensland is privately owned by stock and station agency Burnett Livestock and Realty. Last year the agency was sold after 15 years by Lance and Stephanie Whitaker to James Cochrane and Emily Rockemer, who took over the agency and sale complex in January this year. A few years previously, the yards had a $3.7m redevelopment. Last year 64,122 cattle were sold through Biggenden.
CAMDEN SALEYARDS
The Camden Saleyards was sold in 2018 to a still unknown buyer. The saleyards was owned from 1940 until 2018 by the Inglis family. Jim Hindmarsh & Son took over the operation of the saleyards in 2012 and continued to run it today. In 2020-21 9748 cattle were sold.
CAMPASPE SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Echuca Livestock Exchange on the border of Victoria and NSW. The yards had a throughput of 35,000 cattle in 2020-21.
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGIONAL COUNCIL
Owner of the Emerald Saleyards in Queensland. There were 70,741 cattle sold in 2020-21.
CHARTERS TOWERS REGIONAL COUNCIL
The Dalrymple (HM Clarke) Saleyards is owned and run by the local Charters Towers Regional Council in Queensland. There were 56,463 cattle sold in 2020-21.
CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO
The Bendigo Regional Livestock Exchange is owned and operated by the local council. While the saleyards has the second lowest cattle throughput in Victoria, it is the second-biggest sheep sellers in that state. In 2020-21, 923,701 sheep and 4649 cattle were sold. In November last year agents made the decision to no longer sell prime cattle at Bendigo due to dwindling numbers.
CLARENCE VALLEY COUNCIL
Owner of the Grafton Regional Livestock Selling Centre. There were 34,490 cattle sold in 2020-21.
COOTAMUNDRA-GUNDAGAI REGIONAL COUNCIL
The Cootamundra saleyards is owned by the local council and operates fortnightly sheep sales. There were 51,823 sheep sold in 2020-21.
COWRA COUNCIL
The Cowra Regional Livestock Selling Centre is owned by the Cowra Council and hosts a sheep and lamb sale each week. In 2020, to attract more sheep and buyers, after more than 70 years of holding the sales in Cowra on a Friday, the weekly selling day was moved to a Wednesday. Local agents have hailed the move a success. Last year 245,989 sheep were sold through the yards.
DISTRICT COUNCIL OF GRANT
The Mount Gambier Saleyards in South Australia is owned by the local council. In 2020-21 70,587 cattle and 119,758 sheep were sold.
DUBBO REGIONAL COUNCIL
The Dubbo Regional Livestock Market in Central West NSW is one of the biggest saleyards in the country in terms of combined sheep and cattle throughput. It has been operating for more than 70 years, starting as the Troy Saleyards in 1950 on its current site.
It is owned by the Dubbo Regional Council, contributes $75.6m in output to the local economy and supports 320 full-time positions. In 2020-21 Dubbo saleyards sold 680,949 sheep, or 10.8 per cent of the sheep sold in the state, and had the highest cattle throughput in the state with 115,836 cattle, or 11.2 per cent.
EAST GIPPSLAND SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange located in Bairnsdale, Victoria. In 2020-21, 43,080 cattle and 19,971 sheep were sold.
EDWARD RIVER COUNCIL
The Deniliquin saleyards is owned by the local council, but managed by a lessee, Scanclear. In 2020 the council announced they would be closing the cattle sale part of the saleyards and would reinvest in the sheep facilities. Last year 187,028 sheep were sold and 1310 cattle.
ELDERS
Elders owns at least five saleyards in Queensland, including:
Toowoomba (Harristown) Saleyards – sold 14,821 cattle and 28 sheep in 2020-21.
The remaining four, which are not included in the National Livestock Reporting Service survey for throughput numbers, are:
Moura Saleyards
Gin Gin Saleyards
Biloela Saleyards
Goondiwindi Saleyards
FEDERATION COUNCIL
The Corowa saleyards on the bank of the Murray River is owned and operated by the Federation Council (formed in 2016 from the merger of the Corowa Shire with neighbouring Urana Shire) and has been operating for more than 60 years. Once home to the largest sheep and lamb sale in NSW, the saleyard was fourth on the list last year with 636,086 sheep sold.
FORBES SHIRE COUNCIL
Owned by the Forbes Shire Council, the Central West Livestock Exchange in Forbes, NSW, opened in 2006 when the new $10.4m dollar cattle auction facility was completed, which was followed by a $15m dollar sheep facility in 2010 and a pig facility in April 2012. In 2019 the cattle yards were expanded with an additional 54 selling pens, as well as a road-train ramp for side loading and multi-species yards that can be used by sheep as well. The yards currently hold cattle, sheep and pig sales. Last year 859,429 sheep were sold through Forbes and 32,973 cattle.
GLEN INNES SEVERN COUNCIL
The Glen Innes Regional Saleyards, on the NSW Northern Tablelands, is owned by the local council. There were 30,034 sheep (0.5 per cent) and 9419 cattle sold in 2020-21.
GLENELG SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Casterton Saleyards in southwest Victoria. It had the third-lowest throughput of cattle in 2020-21, with 7430, and the lowest number of sheep at 464.
GREATER SHEPPARTON CITY COUNCIL
Owner of the Shepparton Saleyards, located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River. In 2020-21, 73,000 cattle and 46,200 sheep were sold at the yards.
GRIFFITH CITY COUNCIL
The Griffith Livestock Marketing Centre, located in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of the Riverina in NSW, is owned by the local council. In 2020-21, 405,235 sheep were sold at the centre.
GUNDAGAI SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Gundagai Livestock Exchange, which had the smallest volume of cattle sold in 2020-21 in NSW, with 2867 cattle. The yards usually holds just one weaner sale each year.
GUNNEDAH SHIRE COUNCIL
Gunnedah council owns the Gunnedah Regional Saleyards, which turns over an average of $90m annually. In 2020-21, 56,105 cattle were sold at the yards. Funding was secured in 2020 for a $17.55m upgrade to the facilities.
GUYRA SHIRE COUNCIL
The Guyra saleyards is owned by the local council but operated by the Armidale Livestock Selling Agents. In 2020-21, Guyra sold 99,640 sheep.
GYMPIE REGIONAL COUNCIL
The Gympie Cattle Saleyard, in Queensland, is owned by the local council. There were 48,623 cattle sold there in 2020-21.
HAYES AND CO
Rural services provider Hayes and Co owners the Silverdale (Churchill) Saleyards in Queensland. There were 14,383 cattle sold through the yards in 2020-21.
HORSHAM RURAL CITY COUNCIL
Owner of the Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange in Victoria. It is Victoria’s fourth-largest sheep and lamb market and is the major livestock selling centre in the Wimmera. In 2020-21, 441,052 sheep were sold. In late 2020 a new $3.7m roof over the saleyards was completed.
KEMPSEY SHIRE COUNCIL
Kempsey Shire Council owns the Kempsey Regional Saleyards, however it is leased to stock and station agency Kempsey Stock and Land, which maintains and operates the saleyards. There were 32,963 cattle sold in 2020-21.
LIVESTOCK MARKETS LIMITED
Owner of the South Australian Livestock Exchange at Dublin in South Australia. In 2020-21 16,266 cattle and 461,705 sheep were sold.
LOCKYER VALLEY REGIONAL COUNCIL
Owner of the Laidley Saleyards, where 13,666 cattle were sold in 2020-21.
MANJIMUP SALEYARDS
The Manjimup Saleyards in Western Australia is privately owned by local farmers Tony Ryan, Bob Pessotto and Bill Phillips, who bought the facility in 2007 along with Mr Ryan’s late brother John, now represented by his son Ian Ryan. In February this year the saleyards was listed for sale. No sale has been confirmed. In 2020-21 just 2000 cattle were sold at the yards.
MARANOA SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner and operator of the Roma Saleyards, Roma, Queensland — the country’s largest cattle saleyards. The saleyards often hits the headlines for its record-breaking sales, with cattle from Queensland, NSW and the Northern Territory sold there. In 2020-21, 239,224 cattle were sold, or 21.1 per cent of Queensland’s cattle.
MID-WESTERN REGIONAL COUNCIL
The local council owns the Mudgee saleyards. There were 18,802 cattle (1.8 per cent) sold in 2020-21 and 6535 sheep.
MILDURA RURAL CITY COUNCIL
Owner of the Ouyen saleyards, where 173,733 sheep were sold in 2020-21.
MILLING STUART PTY LTD
The Dunedoo saleyards, in Central West NSW, is privately owned by local family business Milling Stuart Pty Ltd. In 2020-21, 91,328 sheep (1.4 per cent) were sold and 25,223 cattle.
MONTO CATTLE AND COUNTRY
The Monto Saleyards Complex, in the North Burnett region of Queensland, is privately owned and has this year changed hands after 20 years. Brad and Donna McNally sold their Monto Cattle and Country business, including the saleyards, to Andrew and Emma Cavanagh and Brendan Kelly of Kellco Livestock Agents. In 2020-21, 18,543 cattle were sold.
MURRINDINDI SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Yea Saleyards, which is the only functioning saleyard facility in Murrindindi Shire, located in north-central Victoria. In 2020-21 30,756 cattle were sold.
MURRUMBIDGEE COUNCIL
The owner of the Jerilderie saleyards in the NSW Riverina. The saleyards hosts about two major sheep sales every year. In 2020-21 throughput was 14,450 sheep.
NAMBUCCA RIVER DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION
Owner of the Macksville Saleyards located in the NSW Nambucca Valley. There were 12,640 cattle sold in 2020-21.
NARACOORTE LUCINDALE COUNCIL
The local council is the owner of the Naracoorte Saleyards in South Australia. It is the largest saleyards in terms of throughput in South Australia, with 83,614 cattle and 563,743 sheep sold in 2020-21.
NARRABRI SHIRE COUNCIL
Located on the NSW North West Slopes, Narrabri Livestock Selling Centre is owned by the local council. The yards had the second smallest throughput in NSW during 2020-21 with 4280 cattle.
NORTH QUEENSLAND SALEYARDS COMPANY
The most northern selling centre in Queensland, the Mareeba Saleyards is owned and operated by the North Queensland Saleyards Company Pty Ltd. The company is privately owned by descendants of the Northern grazing industry. The concept of saleyards was discussed by interested cattlemen and women in 1947, from which the company name was adopted and graziers bought shares in the yards. The first sale was held in 1948. The company currently has 48 shareholders, and is managed by a board. In 2020-21, 52,000 cattle were sold.
PRO-STOCK LIVESTOCK
Pro-Stock Livestock is a locally owned family business operating on the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia. It owns the Southern Livestock Exchange at Mount Compass. In 2020-21, 60,000 cattle were sold at the facility.
RICHMOND VALLEY COUNCIL
The Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange, better known as the Casino saleyards, is the regional selling facility for the Northern Rivers. It is owned by the Richmond Valley Council. It had the third-largest cattle throughput in NSW in 2020-21 with 103,700 cattle.
ROBERTS
The stock and station agency owns the Powranna Saleyards in Tasmania. Powranna became the central saleyard for Tasmanian livestock sales, with the Quoiba facility closed in 2020.
RURAL CITY OF WANGARATTA
Owner of the saleyards at Wangaratta in North East Victoria. There was discussion about the saleyards being leased to a co-operative in 2015, however the council still appeared to be the owner and operator. In 2020-21, 23,878 cattle were sold.
SELX PTY LTD
SELX Pty Ltd is the parent company of SELX Operations and the Western Victoria Livestock Exchange. The South Eastern Livestock Exchange at Yass was the brainchild of local Yass producers Brendan Abbey and Colin Medway, who then formed a consortium of six local families to invest in the project. The Yass development cost $15m and the facility had the capacity to sell 3800 cattle and 30,000 sheep on any given sale day.
The company hasn’t been without controversy, when one of the directors, Rohan Arnold, was arrested in Belgrade in January 2018 for his alleged part in a huge cocaine importation operation. Mr Arnold was sentenced in early 2020 to a maximum of 27 years and a minimum of 19.5 years for his role in the second-largest cocaine importation into Australia.
The WVLX opened in Mortlake in 2018, with the development costing $16m and covering 2.8ha. In just three years of operation, the yards had become one of the top four in Victoria for throughput of cattle.
South Eastern Livestock Exchange (SELX), Yass, NSW — 567,239 sheep (9 per cent) sold in 2020-21 and 36,323 cattle.
Western Victoria Livestock Exchange (WVLX), Mortlake, Victoria — 90,828 cattle were sold.
SHEPHERDSON AND BOYD
The Toogoolawah Saleyards in Queensland is privately owned by local stock and station agency Shepherdson and Boyd. In 2020-21, 33,840 cattle were sold.
SHIRE OF CAPEL
The local council owns the Boyanup Saleyards in Western Australia, however it is leased to the WA Livestock Salesmen’s Association (Elders and Nutrien). In 2020-21, 80,570 cattle were sold at the yards.
SHIRE OF KATANNING
The local council owns the Katanning Regional Sheep Saleyard in Western Australia. Spanning more than 4ha, the saleyards is said to be the largest undercover saleyards in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2020-21, 670,263 sheep were sold.
SHIRE OF PLANTAGENET
The local council owns the Great Southern Regional Cattle Saleyards at Mt Barker in Western Australia. In 2020-21, 71,817 cattle were sold.
SOUTHERN DOWNS REGIONAL COUNCIL
Owner of the Warwick Saleyards, in southeast Queensland. Warwick is the largest sheep saleyard in Queensland. In 2020-21, 29,876 cattle were sold and 61,587 sheep.
SOUTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Hamilton Regional Livestock Exchange in Victoria’s Western District. It is the home of the southern weaner sales in January each year, with thousands of cattle sold across two weeks. In 2020-21, 19,649 cattle and 1,065,331 sheep were sold.
STARIHA AUCTIONS
Stariha Auctions based in the Lockyer Valley in Queensland owns and operates the Eumundi and Woodford saleyards.
Eumundi — the smallest saleyard for cattle throughput in Queensland, there were 6646 cattle sold in 2020-21.
Woodford — the second-smallest saleyard, with 13,664 cattle sold in 2020-21.
SWAN HILL RURAL CITY COUNCIL
Owner of the Swan Hill Saleyards, where 15,600 cattle and 120,764 sheep sold in 2020-21.
TENTERFIELD SHIRE COUNCIL
The Tenterfield Saleyards in the NSW New England is owned by the local council. There were 8963 cattle sold in 2020-21.
TOWONG SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Corryong Saleyards, where just 711 cattle were sold in 2020-21.
UPPER HUNTER SHIRE COUNCIL
The local council owns the Scone Regional Livestock Selling Centre, which has been operating since 1940. The Scone saleyards sold 29,071 cattle in 2020-21.
VICTORIAN LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE
The Victorian Livestock Exchange owns and operates two saleyards in Victoria — Leongatha and Pakenham. It was started by a small group of people who came together to build the first privately owned soft floored, fully roofed saleyard. The founders of VLE were Chris Sleigh, Graham Osborne, Julie Khalid, Bruce Baron, Graeme Bennett and Michael Quinert. VLE opened its first facility at Pakenham in 1999 and in 2006 it opened the second facility at Leongatha.
Leongatha — in 2020-21 Leongatha was the largest seller of cattle in Victoria, with 142,634 cattle through the yards.
Pakenham — 121,752 cattle were sold in 2020-21.
WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL
The Wagga Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre, located in the NSW Riverina, was the largest saleyard in NSW in terms of throughput last year. It sold 1,818,942 cattle, or 28.8 per cent of the state and 113,401 cattle. Owned by the Wagga Wagga City Council, the saleyard provides an estimated contribution of $32.6m to the local regional economy and supports about 212 jobs.
WARRNAMBOOL CITY COUNCIL
The local council owns the Warrnambool Livestock Exchange, located on the southwest coast of Victoria. While there were many concerns about the ongoing success of the saleyards when the nearby saleyards opened at Mortlake, in 2020-21 Warrnambool had the sixth-highest cattle throughput in the state with 62,015 head.
WELLINGTON SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner and operator of the Gippsland Regional Livestock Exchange at Sale in Gippsland, Victoria. In 2020-21, 13,689 cattle and 12,513 sheep were sold.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEAT INDUSTRY AUTHORITY
Owner of the largest saleyard in Western Australia, the Muchea Livestock Centre. In 2020-21 96,554 cattle and 455,341 sheep were sold.
WESTERN DOWNS REGIONAL COUNCIL
Owner and operator of the Dalby Regional Saleyards in Queensland. In operation for more than 75 years, the saleyards is located at the junction of three national highways. A $12.6m upgrade was finished in 2015. In 2020-21 Dalby sold the second-highest number of cattle in Queensland, with 167,047.
WINGECARRIBEE SHIRE COUNCIL
Owner of the Southern Regional Livestock Exchange at Moss Vale in the NSW Southern Highlands. The saleyards had an annual gross turnover of $30m to $35m a year. There were 33,367 cattle sold in 2020-21.
YARRIAMBIACK SHIRE COUNCIL
Owners of the Warracknabeal Saleyards in Victoria’s Wimmera. It had a throughput of 104,824 sheep in 2020-21.
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