AFTER months of preparations, works to upgrade the Scone Regional Livestock Selling Centre have commenced this week.
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The project will see increased capacity, efficiency and sustainability of the saleyard operations. It will also increase the safety and welfare for livestock and improve conditions for workers and visitors.
Upper Hunter Shire Council has approved a tender for the main construction work for the $11.8 million project and will contribute a loan of $8.4 million.
A $2,827,248 grant from the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund and a $325,700 grant from the Fixing Country Truck Washes program – a joint NSW and Australian Government initiative – will also go towards the upgrades.
The Scone Regional Livestock Selling Centre has been operating since the 1940’s and the current facilities were established in the mid 1970’s. The Saleyards project includes:
· Constructing a new concrete bay next to the existing truck wash bays for livestock trucks to empty their effluent tanks more efficiently. Encouraging more livestock transporters to install effluent tanks will reduce the amount of manure on local roads
· Installing a manure waste management facility which will process the manure into a weed and pathogen free compost that will be used by Council and sold to local gardens. Removal of existing pen infrastructure and concrete flooring and construction of new selling pens with soft flooring
· Construction of approximately 7000 sqm’s of roof area over selling and holding pens; Installation of water tanks and a water reticulation system to provide drinking water to livestock, water supply for truck wash and for dust suppression over floor areas, reducing reliance on town water and therefore costs;
- Construction of drainage infrastructure;
- Construction of a dedicated light vehicle parking area;
- Installation of walk through cattle scanners to improve cattle management and allow offering of overnight cattle agistment.
- New power distribution, supply and lighting, and close circuit television (CCTV) system and IT upgrade to Livestock Selling System improving sale day efficiency and offering online live streaming and auctioning;
- Construction of a new workshop and storage shed;
- Replacement of security fencing around the effluent settling ponds;
- Upgrade the entrance into the facility and landscaping.
Member for the Upper Hunter Michael Johnsen has welcomed the modernisation works, noting that truck washes play an important role in vehicle productivity and maintenance, as well as protecting NSW’s biosecurity.
“Fixing Country Truck Washes, which is a joint Federal-State initiative, contributes to the cost of constructing or upgrading truck wash facilities to help remove bottlenecks that constrain logistic businesses and protect our local environment and wider NSW against the spread of weeds and disease,” Mr Johnsen said.
The upgrade will mean that under the criteria of the National Saleyards Quality Assurance Program, Scone’s membership status will be moved from Participant level to Accredited level. This meets the requirements of the Commonwealth Industry Body SAFEMEAT, as well as meeting requirements to retain EU accreditation and meet the biosecurity and animal welfare regulations.
